TikTok says it will go dark in the US on January 19 – seeking 'clarity' and 'assurance' from the White House

TikTok says it will shut down in the US on January 19
There’s uncertainty over the implementation of a ban
The US is about to swap presidents on Monday

By now you’ve almost certainly heard that TikTok could be about to get banned in the US this coming Sunday, January 19. The latest update today is that the social platform will “go dark” amid uncertainty around what the White House will actually decide to do.

As per an official TikTok statement, “unless the Biden Administration immediately provides a definitive statement to satisfy the most critical service providers assuring non-enforcement”, the TikTok lights will go off in the US tomorrow.

So is TikTok going to be outlawed in the US or not? No one really knows – and that’s the point being made here. With so much uncertainty around what the incoming US president and the outgoing US president really want, TikTok has had enough.

No doubt there’s more to come here, and it’s likely to be a busy weekend for both TikTok and the US administration. As it stands though, don’t expect to be able to download or even access TikTok from tomorrow, if you’re in the US – though with a change at the top of the US government, the blackout might not be permanent.

The rather complicated story so far

TikTok on a phone in front of the USA flag

Does TikTok have a future in the US? (Image credit: CFOTO/Future Publishing via Getty Images)

If you’re just getting up to speed on the TikTok ban, it’s been a long road to this point. You may remember WeChat and TikTok almost got banned from the United States back in 2020, during the first term of Donald Trump’s presidency.

The issue has always been the close ties between TikTok, its developer ByteDance, and the Chinese government. Officials in the US are worried China is using TikTok as a way of influencing millions of Americans – or as a full-on spying tool.

Not true, says TikTok – but the US government isn’t convinced, even if billions could be lost by businesses and creators. The US Supreme Court has upheld the original law to either ban or sell TikTok to US interests this weekend, and time has almost run out.

In recent days, TikTok CEO Shou Chew has taken to the platform to thank incoming President Trump for his support – Trump replaces Joe Biden in the White House on Monday – but the latest TikTok statement suggests the involved parties are going to have to act very quickly indeed to stop a shutdown.

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