TikTok to Suspend Services for Existing US Users... Trump Likely to Delay Ban Law (Summary)

Service to Be Suspended for Existing Users Starting From the 19th, When the Ban Act Takes Effect
Trump Opposes TikTok Ban
WP: "Executive Order to Delay Enforcement by Two to Three Months Under Review"

Chinese short-form platform TikTok is reportedly planning to completely suspend its service in the United States starting from the enforcement date of the 'TikTok Ban Act.' TikTok is said to be restricting app usage even for existing TikTok users who are not blocked by the TikTok Ban Act. Donald Trump, the president-elect and an opponent of TikTok regulation, is expected to issue an executive order shortly after taking office to delay the enforcement of the TikTok Ban Act by two to three months.

According to IT media The Information and other foreign outlets on the 15th (local time), TikTok plans to fully suspend its service in the U.S. starting from the 19th if the U.S. Supreme Court does not accept its injunction request. After the service ends, when U.S. TikTok users access the TikTok app, a popup message will appear informing them of the service suspension, and users will only be given the option to download their data from the app.

The likelihood of the Supreme Court accepting TikTok's injunction request is considered very low. The New York Times (NYT) reported on the 10th, based on oral arguments held that day, that the Supreme Court seems likely to allow the law to be enforced. It was explained that most justices expressed skepticism about TikTok's lawyers' claims regarding freedom of expression.

The TikTok Ban Act stipulates that if TikTok's Chinese parent company ByteDance does not sell TikTok's U.S. business rights to an American company, TikTok will be removed from app marketplaces such as Apple's App Store. TikTok's choice to fully ban its service goes beyond the TikTok Ban Act. However, since the enforcement of the TikTok Ban Act is expected to make it difficult to attract new users in the U.S. and further weaken profitability, there is speculation that TikTok decided it would be better to suspend the service in advance. ByteDance has maintained its stance of not selling TikTok's U.S. business.

TikTok has a 'ray of hope.' On the same day, The Washington Post (WP) reported that President-elect Trump is considering an executive order to delay the enforcement of the TikTok Ban Act by 2 to 3 months after taking office. Trump, who tried to ban TikTok during his first term, actively used TikTok during the last election to gain 'young voters' and soon shifted to opposing TikTok's removal. However, WP added, "An executive order is not a magic document, and many legal experts believe it will be difficult to overturn the TikTok Ban Act, which passed Congress last year with bipartisan support."

The TikTok ban is expected to cause a significant reaction among young Americans. The number of TikTok users in the U.S. reaches 170 million. As news spreads that TikTok service will soon be banned in the U.S., Americans are flocking to Xiaohongshu, the Chinese version of Instagram. On the 13th, Rednote, the international version of Xiaohongshu, ranked number one in free downloads on the Apple App Store. The purpose of enforcing the TikTok Ban Act is due to concerns that China could collect sensitive information of Americans or exert undue influence on public opinion through TikTok, but there is also an assessment that if Americans turn to another Chinese app, the purpose of the TikTok Ban Act will be undermined.

Meanwhile, Chinese authorities are reportedly hoping that Elon Musk, Tesla CEO, who is friendly to China and maintains a close relationship with President-elect Trump, will play some role in preventing the suspension of TikTok's service in the U.S.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.