Sources have told The Information that TikTok is preparing to shut down the app on Jan. 19 entirely. It was previously thought that the app would just be removed from app stores.
Moreover, it was expected that TikTokers who had downloaded the app prior to the deadline would still be able to use it until it inevitably got overrun with bugs due to a lack of updating.
According to these sources, users who try to use the app as of Jan. 19 will be a pop-up directing them to a site with more information about the ban.
Does this mean that TikTok is flying the white flag and accepting its fate? Not exactly. The Information suggests that TikTok is doing this to “bring home the impact of the ban to all TikTok’s users.”
What Are the Implications of a TikTok Shut Down?
Currently, TikTok has more than 170 million users in the US. Many of these users are content creators and small business owners who heavily rely on TikTok as a source of income and as an advertising tool.
Additionally, according to Forbes, TikTok made $189 million in in-app revenue last year. This makes it the most profitable app in the world in terms of in-app earnings.
But profitability aside, TikTok’s main argument against a ban is that it purportedly compromises users’ First Amendment rights to freedom of expression.
The app’s lawyers failed to convince justices in the Appeals Court, and while we’re still waiting for a verdict from the Supreme Court, it’s widely expected that they too will reject this argument.
While many of us are hoping for a radical change at the eleventh hour, it’s time for us to accept reality. TikTok really is going to be banned.
