TikTok's Loud Shutdown Announcement: App to Cease Operations on Sunday
Get ready for your last dance on TikTok, folks, 'cause it seems like the app's days in the United States are numbered. According to reports, TikTok is planning to pull the plug on its U.S. operations by January 19th, but only if President Biden's administration doesn't manage to halt the ban by the Supreme Court or Congress.
Now, technically speaking, TikTok won't disappear from devices already installed. It's just that Apple, Google, and other U.S. service providers will be barred from working with the social media giant. That means Apple and Google will have to yank TikTok off their app stores, and providers like Oracle will have to cease hosting the app on its servers.
If this ban goes through, TikTok will face a hard time operating in the U.S., even though it's far from being the only country where it's popular. The company recently assured its U.S. staff that their jobs will be safe after the ban, making it feasible for the app to continue functioning abroad. But in all fairness, TikTok would have a hard time serving American users without access to updates or downloads.
There have been some folks who believed that the app would keep on ticking until it became too outdated to function. However, The Information reports that TikTok has decided to call it quits and face the consequences immediately, rather than limp along. In short, you can count on a pop-up from the app that explains all about why TikTok is going dark in the U.S. and why you can no longer chat with your friendly China-based TikTok AI.
As for TikTok's next move, watch out for reports on a potential sale to Elon Musk or other U.S. investors. TikTok has said that it won't sell, but recent developments might make the company reconsider its stance. For now, we'll have to wait and see how things unfold.
As for you, start compiling your favorite TikToks for the time being. Best of luck to all the Zoomers out there! Maybe it's time to explore other social media platforms with shorter videos, such as RedNote, which despite its Chinese roots has provided some top-notch content. Say so long to your "Chinese spy" – just kidding. No one believes the TikTok data is safe in China, but it's still a fun reference!
[1] https://www.foxbusiness.com/tech/tiktok-shutdown-law[2] https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/2022/10/28/tiktok-ban-china-orbital-insight-report/[3] https://www.cnet.com/tech/services-and-software/tiktok-senate-hearing/[4] https://www.cnn.com/2023/01/11/tech/tiktok-supreme-court-china/index.html[5] https://www.nytimes.com/2023/01/07/technology/tiktok-ban-china-us.html
Despite the impending shutdown of TikTok in the U.S., the app's future in technology and the tech industry remains uncertain. If a sale to Elon Musk or other U.S. investors materializes, TikTok could potentially remain a significant player in the world of tech and short-form video content.
