
TikTok plans for Sunday shutdown, US employees to stay on payroll after ban
By Karah Rucker (Anchor/Reporter), Jack Henry (Video Editor)
Unless the U.S. Supreme Court intervenes, TikTok plans to shut down for U.S. users on Sunday, Jan. 19, according to company insiders who spoke with The Information. The long-anticipated TikTok ban in the U.S. is just days away and new details are emerging about what that will look like for users. While the law banning TikTok would prevent new downloads of the app, existing users would still be able to access it for some time.
Media Landscape
See how news outlets across the political spectrum are covering this story. Learn moreBias Distribution
Left
Right
Untracked Bias
However, TikTok says under its plan, access will be disabled. Users who try to open the app will see a pop-up message directing them to a website with information about the ban. The company will also offer users the option to download their data.
If the ban goes into effect and is later lifted, TikTok sources say they will be able to bring the app back online quickly.

Download the SAN app today to stay up-to-date with Unbiased. Straight Facts™.
Point phone camera here
TikTok has also reassured its U.S. employees that their jobs will remain safe, even if the app is shut down.
In an internal memo obtained by The Verge, the company confirmed that “employment, pay, and benefits are secure, and our offices will remain open, even if this situation hasn’t been resolved before the January 19 deadline.”
This comes after a law signed by President Joe Biden last year, which gives TikTok’s parent company, ByteDance, until Jan. 19 to sell its U.S. assets or face a nationwide ban due to national security concerns.
During oral arguments on the TikTok case last week, some analysts suggested that the Supreme Court is likely to uphold the ban, despite President-elect Donald Trump’s calls for a delay.
Get up to speed on the stories leading the day every weekday morning. Sign up for the newsletter today!
Learn more about our emails. Unsubscribe anytime.
By entering your email, you agree to the Terms & Conditions and acknowledge the Privacy Policy.
TikTok currently has 170 million users in the U.S. The app is already partially or completely banned in more than a dozen countries, including the European Union.
[Karah]
UNLESS THE SUPREME COURT GIVES TIKTOK A LATE HAIL MARY –
THE APP PLANS TO SHUT DOWN FOR U.S. USERS ON **SUNDAY.
THIS IS ACCORDING TO TIKTOK INSIDERS WHO FIRST SPOKE WITH THE PUBLICATION “THE INFORMATION.”
THE LONG AWAITED MUCH ANTICIPATED TIKTOK BAN IN THE U.S. IS JUST A MATTER OF DAYS AWAY.
AND NOW WE’RE GETTING INSIGHT INTO WHAT THAT’S GOING TO LOOK LIKE FOR USERS.
WHILE THE U.S. LAW BANNING TIKTOK WOULD PROHIBIT **NEW DOWNLOADS OF THE APP –
IT WOULD STILL ALLOW EXISTING USERS TO USE IT FOR SOME TIME.
HOWEVER TIKTOK SAYS – UNDER ITS PLAN – ACCESS WILL BE DISABLED – AND PEOPLE WHO OPEN THE APP WILL GET A POP-UP MESSAGE DIRECTING THEM TO A WEBSITE WITH INFORMATION ABOUT THE BAN.
IT WILL INCLUDE AN OPTION FOR USERS TO DOWNLOAD THEIR DATA.
IF THE BAN GOES INTO EFFECT AND THEN IS LATER LIFTED –
THEN TIKTOK SOURCES SAY THEY’LL BE ABLE TO BRING THE APP BACK ONLINE PRETTY QUICKLY.
TIKTOK HAS ALSO REASSURED ITS U.S. EMPLOYEES THAT – EVEN IF THE APP SHUTS DOWN – THEIR JOBS WILL BE SAFE.
IN AN INTERNAL MEMO FIRST OBTAINED BY “THE VERGE” –
THE COMPANY CONFIRMED “employment, pay, and benefits are secure, and our offices will remain open, even if this situation hasn’t been resolved before the January 19 deadline.”
THIS ALL COMES DOWN TO A LAW SIGNED BY PRESIDENT BIDEN LAST YEAR, WHICH GIVES TIKTOK’S PARENT COMPANY, BYTEDANCE, UNTIL JANUARY 19TH TO SELL ITS U.S. ASSETS— OR FACE A NATIONWIDE BAN – OUT OF NATIONAL SECURITY CONCERNS.
ACCORDING TO THE SUPREME COURT’S ORAL ARGUMENTS OVER THE TIKTOK CASE LAST WEEK – SOME SUGGEST IT SEEMS LIKELY THE COURT WILL **UPHOLD THE BAN – DESPITE PRESIDENT-ELECT DONALD TRUMP CALLING FOR A DELAY.
THE APP HAS 170 MILLION USERS IN THE UNITED STATES. THE APP IS PARTIALLY OR COMPLETELY BANNED IN MORE THAN A DOZEN COUNTRIES AND THE EUROPEAN UNION.
THANKS FOR WATCHING OUR NEWS UPDATE.
WE’LL CONTINUE TO FOLLOW THIS STORY AND YOU CAN TOO.
DOWNLOAD THE STRAIGHT ARROW NEWS MOBILE APP TODAY.
Media Landscape
See how news outlets across the political spectrum are covering this story. Learn moreBias Distribution
Left
Right
Untracked Bias
Straight to your inbox.
By entering your email, you agree to the Terms & Conditions and acknowledge the Privacy Policy.
MOST POPULAR
-
Getty Images
Judge clears way for Trump’s federal employee buyout program to proceed
Watch 2:3013 hrs ago -
Reuters
California homeowners on hook for half of $1 billion last resort insurer surcharge
Read16 hrs ago -
Getty Images
Musk says DOGE found mine storing government retirement papers
Read18 hrs ago -
Greater Second Missionary Baptist Church
‘Violence is necessary’: Tennessee pastor clarifies sermon about Elon Musk
Read19 hrs ago