Washington, Jan 17 : TikTok warned late Friday that it would go dark in the U.S. on Sunday unless the Biden administration provides assurances to companies like Apple and Google that they will not face enforcement actions when a ban takes effect. The warning followed the Supreme Court’s decision to uphold a law banning TikTok on national security grounds if ByteDance does not sell it. The court’s unanimous decision has left TikTok and its 170 million U.S. users in uncertainty.
TikTok stated that without immediate assurances from the Biden administration, it would be forced to shut down on January 19. The White House declined to comment, while Apple, Google, and Oracle could face heavy fines if they continue supporting TikTok post-ban.
The law, passed by a bipartisan majority and signed by Biden, has faced challenges from TikTok and its users, but the Supreme Court ruled it does not violate free speech protections. ByteDance has made little effort to divest from TikTok, but former President Trump has expressed plans to save the app after his anticipated return to the presidency.
The Biden administration has not delayed the ban, and its enforcement is expected to fall to the next administration. TikTok remains hopeful for a resolution, either through a buyer or Trump’s potential intervention under national security grounds.
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