TikTok’s future in the U.S. has become even more uncertain after a panel of federal judges upheld a new law that could result in the app being banned by mid-January.
Find out more about the app’s future in the United States below.
Was TikTok Banned in the United States?
As of now, TikTok has not been fully banned in the United States. However, the app has faced significant scrutiny and legal challenges.
And in recent news, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit denied TikTok’s petition to overturn a law requiring the app to sever ties with its China-based parent company, ByteDance, or face a potential ban by mid-January.
In a statement, TikTok indicated it would appeal the decision.
“The Supreme Court has an established historical record of protecting Americans’ right to free speech, and we expect they will do just that on this important constitutional issue,” said company spokesperson Michael Hughes. “Unfortunately, the TikTok ban was conceived and pushed through based upon inaccurate, flawed and hypothetical information, resulting in outright censorship of the American people. The TikTok ban, unless stopped, will silence the voices of over 170 million Americans here in the US and around the world on January 19th, 2025.”
According to several reports in 2025, the Supreme Court appears to have upheld a law on Friday, January 10, that will ban TikTok in the United States. However, it remains uncertain how the law will play out, as Donald Trump is set to be sworn into office soon, and the law is scheduled to take effect on January 19, 2025.
Why Is There a TikTok Ban?
The law, signed by President Joe Biden in April, allegedly centers on national security concerns. Critics argue that TikTok’s parent company, ByteDance, based in Beijing, could be required by the Chinese government to hand over U.S. user data in compliance with Chinese law.
TikTok, which filed a lawsuit against the government in May, has consistently denied allegations that it could be used by Beijing to spy on or manipulate Americans. The company’s legal team has argued that the U.S. government has failed to provide any evidence showing that TikTok has shared user data with the Chinese government or manipulated content to benefit Beijing.
Do Americans Need to Delete TikTok?
Currently, there is no legal requirement for American users to delete TikTok. However, a law has been proposed that will ban the video app in the U.S. by January 19 unless its owner, ByteDance, sells it to a non-Chinese company.
If the app is not sold by that deadline, U.S. app stores and internet service providers could face significant fines for hosting TikTok.
