After a Supreme Court ruling, TikTok may shut down in the U.S. unless President Biden provides a statement to prevent enforcement actions against tech giants like Apple and Google.
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| TikTok threatens to shut down in the U.S. on Sunday unless the Biden administration provides assurance to tech giants like Apple and Google regarding enforcement actions. Image/ Illustration: ChicHue |
Washington, USA — January 18, 2025:
TikTok has issued a warning that it will go dark in the United States on Sunday unless President Joe Biden's administration provides assurances to tech giants like Apple and Google that they won't face enforcement actions when a ban takes effect.
This statement followed a Supreme Court ruling on Friday, which upheld a law banning TikTok in the U.S. on national security grounds. The law mandates that TikTok's Chinese parent company, ByteDance, must sell the app or face the potential shutdown of the platform. The court's 9-0 decision leaves the app's 170 million American users in uncertainty and places its future in the hands of former President Donald Trump, who has promised to intervene if he returns to office on Monday.
In its statement, TikTok urged the Biden Administration to provide a clear statement to service providers like Apple, Google, and Oracle, assuring them that they will not face penalties if they continue offering services to the platform. The company warned that without such assurance, it would be forced to cease operations on January 19.
The White House has not responded to TikTok's demands, and companies like Apple, Google, and Oracle could face substantial fines if they continue supporting TikTok after the ban is enforced. The law, passed by Congress last year with broad bipartisan support, was signed by Biden, though many lawmakers who originally backed it are now calling for the platform to remain accessible in the U.S.