TikTok Prepares for Potential US Shutdown

TikTok is preparing to shut down its operations in the United States by this Sunday if the Supreme Court does not rule in its favor regarding a ban that requires its Chinese parent company, ByteDance, to divest its stake. This decision comes after a law signed by President Biden mandates ByteDance to sell its U.S. assets by January 19 or face a ban due to national security concerns. TikTok plans to display a pop-up message to users, redirecting them to a website with information about the ban and offering an option to download their data. Despite the impending shutdown, TikTok has assured its U.S. employees that their jobs and benefits are secure, and it is planning for various scenarios. The Supreme Court has yet to announce its decision, but it has shown skepticism about TikTok's First Amendment defense. Meanwhile, rumors about potential buyers, including Elon Musk, have surfaced, although TikTok has dismissed them as fiction.