TikTok has announced plans to shut down operations in the U.S. on January 19, just one day before Donald Trump’s inauguration, unless the Supreme Court intervenes to delay or overturn the ban, AP reports.
The shutdown would be a last resort if the law requiring ByteDance to sell TikTok to a third party takes effect. ByteDance has repeatedly stated it has no intention of selling the platform.
In December, a U.S. federal appeals court upheld the ban if TikTok fails to comply with the deadline. However, the Supreme Court still has the power to suggest alternative measures.
TikTok argues the ban violates the First Amendment, restricting free speech, while the court maintains the law aims to protect U.S. citizens from foreign data collection.
President-elect Donald Trump, set to take office on January 20, has voiced opposition to the ban, despite previously supporting similar action. He has asked the Supreme Court to postpone enforcement, but the platform’s fate remains uncertain.
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