BUTUAN CITY – TikTok is preparing to shut down completely in the United States if a ban takes effect this Sunday, with media outlets reporting that the platform will no longer be accessible even to existing users.
Under the scheduled ban, app stores and internet hosting services would be prohibited from providing updates, causing the app to become unusable over time. Users would be directed to a message about the ban and given options to download their personal data.
This follows the signing of the Protecting Americans from Foreign Adversary Controlled Applications Act by outgoing President Joe Biden in April, which gave TikTok’s Chinese parent company, ByteDance, 270 days to sell the platform or face a ban.
President-elect Donald Trump, set to be inaugurated on Monday, is reportedly considering suspending the ban for 60 to 90 days to allow time for negotiations.
Meanwhile, the U.S. Supreme Court is deliberating on the constitutionality of the ban, with many justices expressing skepticism about TikTok’s free speech claims.
