TikTok is in a precious position at present. It sits on a precipice, with the United States government attempting to shut down the application’s operations in the country. It would be a monumental blow to the application owner, ByteDance, and it all stems from the organisation being headquartered in Beijing, China.
Will TikTok be banned in the US? In the middle of January, the Supreme Court will determine whether the application will receive a blanket ban in the nation, but many things can happen before then to prevent that.
Find out in this guide if TikTok will be banned and when that might happen, plus learn about some alternatives.
Is TikTok Getting Banned in the US?
The United States Supreme Court is attempting to ban TikTok unless the platform breaks away from Chinese ownership. By way of a resolution, an American company or entity could purchase a portion of the platform to run it from the United States, which would keep everything running as normal.
A few months back, the likes of Bobby Kotick were rumoured to be interested in purchasing the site, and recently, MrBeast’s name came up in the discussion. It could even be someone like Elon Musk who might save TikTok from being banned in the US.
Last year, Joe Biden signed a bill that would see TikTok banned in January 2025 if it wasn’t divested away from the Chinese owners.
The due date for the final decision (and ultimate action) is January 19. If nobody secures TikTok’s US operations by then, the application will be banned nationwide. As nobody has stepped forward to claim or save TikTok just yet, it looks like the ban will go ahead.
What Happens if TikTok is Banned?
Most likely, the Supreme Court will order app store operators such as Google and Apple to remove TikTok from their storefronts, making it near-impossible to download the application on devices.
Also, internet service providers will be required to place blocks on the desktop version of the site, further restricting access. This could also apply to cellphone network carriers.
If you’re using a VPN, you may be able to still access TikTok. A VPN allows you to ‘spoof’ your location, making it seem as though you’re in another country or region, which is the most effective way to bypass geoblocking measures.
Ultimately, if TikTok is ‘hard banned’ in the United States, many content creators who rely on the app for a revenue stream will be massively impacted.
Will Donald Trump Save TikTok?
Once upon a time, Donald Trump was hellbent on shutting down TikTok, but as underwent his political campaign for election into the presidency in 2024, he doubled back on that decision.
It became a belief that Donald Trump would halt the US TikTok ban, which he has the power to do once he has entered office.
Unfortunately, he will be sworn in as the United States President on January 20, one day after the ban takes place. He could retroactively make a change, but he can’t stop it from going ahead.
What Are The Best TikTok Alternatives?
If you want an alternative to TikTok in case the application is banned in the US, you’re in luck.
Many people rely on Instagram Reels as an alternative to TikTok, or Facebook, which also supports a ‘shorts’ ecosystem. One of the best alternatives to TikTok is YouTube, which has a strong shorts platform that many creators use to earn a fair bit of money.
In recent months, YouTube has been slipping back a little on live streaming and prioritising short- and long-form content, so there’s a strong argument there for moving from TikTok to YouTube.
Other sites, such as Lemon8 and RedNote, could also face legislative action, given that they’re owned by Chinese organisations. Lemon8 is owned by ByteDance, the parent company sitting over TikTok, so that’s not the best step if you’re looking for a TikTok alternative.
To put it finely, 170 million American users could be set to lose access to TikTok this month, so be prepared.
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