In a dramatic turn of events, TikTok could go dark in the United States by Sunday unless decisive action is taken by the Biden administration. This development follows a unanimous Supreme Court ruling upholding a law that mandates ByteDance, TikTok's parent company, to carry out a "qualified divestiture" of the app. The ruling, issued on Friday, requires service providers like Apple, Google, and Oracle to cease supporting TikTok if ByteDance fails to comply.
ByteDance faces a looming deadline to divest TikTok by Sunday. Failure to meet this requirement could result in significant penalties for major service providers. In response, TikTok released a statement on Friday highlighting the urgency of the situation. They warned that without immediate assurance from the Biden administration, TikTok's services would be forced to go dark on January 19.
"Unless the Biden Administration immediately provides a definitive statement to satisfy the most critical service providers assuring non-enforcement, unfortunately TikTok will be forced to go dark on January 19" – TikTok
The situation has escalated due to national security concerns. The Biden administration addressed these concerns in a statement also released on Friday. They emphasized the importance of keeping TikTok accessible to Americans but insisted on American ownership as a solution.
"TikTok should remain available to Americans, but simply under American ownership" – The Biden administration
The Supreme Court's decision and the subsequent administrative response place significant pressure on ByteDance and the service providers involved. Apple, Google, and Oracle could face penalties if they continue supporting TikTok without the required divestiture. This has created an urgent need for clarity and action from the government.
"Given the sheer fact of timing, this Administration recognizes that actions to implement the law simply must fall to the next Administration, which takes office on Monday" – The Biden administration
The Biden administration acknowledged that the timing of these proceedings might necessitate action from the incoming administration. This acknowledgment places further uncertainty on TikTok's future in the United States, as stakeholders await potential interventions that could avert TikTok's impending shutdown.