‘TikTok Will Be Forced to Go Dark’: Statement Issued Ahead of US TikTok Ban

Ahead of TikTok’s shutdown on January 19, ByteDance’s U.S. representatives have shared a statement via social media. They mention that, as the app stands on the brink of closure due to the upcoming U.S. ban, the only potential lifeline is the intervention from the Biden Administration – the same group that initially threatened TikTok with a ban in 2024.

170 million American TikTok users, as well as numerous game content creators numbering in the tens of thousands, stand to be affected by the US ban on TikTok. These creators rely on the platform to bolster their earnings from their creative endeavors.

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In simple terms, TikTok will probably remain accessible in the U.S., as it’s unlikely that President Biden and his team will make a public announcement promising not to enforce a ban on the app tomorrow.

In a recent post on social media, the TikTok team wrote:

Today’s declarations from the Biden Administration and the Department of Justice haven’t given the required clarity and confidence to essential service providers who help ensure TikTok remains accessible to more than 170 million Americans.

If the Biden Administration doesn’t promptly issue a clear declaration exempting TikTok from enforcement, regrettably, TikTok may need to shut down on January 19th.

In simpler terms, while the specific methods haven’t been disclosed yet, it’s expected that TikTok might be prohibited in the country by preventing its downloads on platforms like Google Play and the App Store. Additionally, there are assumptions that measures will be taken to restrict access to TikTok via browsers for people within the United States, using techniques such as geoblocking.

The action is being taken at a time when the U.S. administration wants to keep Chinese businesses at arm’s length. Lately, the Pentagon has added Tencent to its ‘watchlist’, indicating that it needs extra scrutiny from intelligence agencies. TikTok’s parent company, ByteDance, located in Beijing, is on top of TikTok.

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2025-01-18 15:17