TikTok prepares for shutdown of operations in US this Sunday: Report

TikTok plans to shut off its app for United States users on Sunday, the day a federal ban comes into effect, unless the Supreme Court intervenes to block the ban, the Information reported on Tuesday, citing two people familiar with the matter.

The app faces an imminent shutdown in the US after Congress passed a law last year forcing its Chinses owner ByteDance to either sell the platform or close it by this Sunday.

What next for TikTok in US?

Under a ban, the US government would first direct Apple and Google to remove TikTok from their app stores, preventing new downloads as early as Sunday, a day before President-elect Donald Trump takes office.

However, the app would remain on the phones of the existing 170 million US users unless TikTok directly blocks their access.

Although TikTok lawyer Noel Francisco stated the site would "go dark" on Sunday if the justices failed to block the ban, many observers doubt ByteDance would unilaterally hit the off switch for American users.

Also read: Will Elon Musk buy TikTok from China? Here's what the company says

Alternatives

Even if TikTok keeps its app accessible, US users would stop receiving security and software updates, leading to gradual deterioration in quality and increased vulnerabilities.

Users might turn to VPNs (virtual private networks) to mask their location by routing through countries where TikTok remains available.

Another possibility is that TikTok could update from non-US servers through partnerships with foreign, non-Chinese companies -- though this would constitute direct defiance of US authorities and likely intensify scrutiny of ByteDance's US operations.

Once banned, the assumption is that TikTok users will move to other apps, like Instagram Reels and YouTube shorts, TikTok copycats that have grown and will directly benefit from their rival's demise.

Elon Musk's X (formerly Twitter) could also benefit and the tycoon has made it known that he wants his platform, formerly Twitter, to more closely resemble TikTok, with video content and shopping features.

Trump has expressed concern that a ban would primarily advantage Meta-owned Instagram, which may explain Mark Zuckerberg's recent public support for Trump.

Some American content creators have already migrated to Xiaohongshu (Red Note), another Chinese social media app that recently topped the Apple App Store downloads.