TikTok is planning a complete shutdown in the US as the deadline for the ban approaches, reports say | Technology
The popular video-sharing platform is preparing to go completely black in the US starting Sunday, reports say.
TikTok plans to go completely black in the United States if the expected ban goes into effect on Sunday, media reported.
The popular video-sharing platform is preparing to shut down operations entirely, instead of continuing to provide service to existing users, The Information and Reuters news agency reported on Wednesday, citing people familiar with the matter.
Under the planned ban, existing users could legally continue to use TikTok, but the app would eventually become unusable as app stores and online hosting services are prohibited from providing updates.
In addition to the last-minute delay, TikTok users will encounter a message redirecting them to a ban statement and options to retrieve their personal data, reports said.
TikTok did not immediately respond to Al Jazeera’s request for comment.
Outgoing US President Joe Biden signed the related Protecting Americans from Apps Controlled by Foreign Enemies Act in April, giving Chinese parent company ByteDance 270 days to sell the platform or have it banned.
Biden signed the bill amid bipartisan concerns that the platform could be used to harvest Americans’ personal information and manipulate public discourse.
The Washington Post reported Wednesday that President-elect Donald Trump is considering issuing an executive order to suspend the ban for 60 to 90 days to buy time to negotiate a sale or alternative arrangement.
Trump, who is set to be inaugurated on Monday, promised to “save” the platform during his re-election campaign despite seeking to ban the app himself during his first term.
The reports come as the US Supreme Court considers the constitutionality of the ban.
The nine-judge court appears inclined to uphold the law after a majority of justices last week expressed skepticism about TikTok’s argument that the ban violates Americans’ free speech rights.
