TikTok’s Meteoric Rise and Uncertain Future in the U.S.
For over four years, U.S. influencers and users have been on edge as lawmakers and courts deliberated the potential ban of TikTok in the country. That tension reached a climax on Friday when the U.S. Supreme Court upheld a law that will effectively prohibit the app starting Sunday, unless its parent company, ByteDance Ltd. from China, finds an approved buyer.
This unanimous ruling concluded a legal struggle that balanced national security concerns with free speech rights. TikTok, along with ByteDance and its dedicated U.S. user base, contended that the law infringed upon the First Amendment. However, the Biden administration argued that ByteDance’s ownership of TikTok posed a significant security threat.
Nevertheless, the Supreme Court’s decision doesn’t necessarily signify the end of TikTok’s precarious future in the U.S., as it remains caught in the larger tensions between the U.S. and China. A Biden administration official informed the Associated Press that the enforcement of the law would be left to President-elect Donald Trump’s administration.
Trump, who will assume office the day after the ban is scheduled to take effect, has acknowledged TikTok’s influence in mobilizing young voters for the 2024 election. Advisors to Trump indicated that the new administration would likely take measures to keep the app operational. What those actions will entail, and whether they can endure legal scrutiny, is still uncertain.
TikTok is one of more than 100 apps created by ByteDance, a tech company founded in 2012 by Zhang Yiming in Beijing. It was first launched in China as Douyin in 2016, and later, ByteDance released an international version known as TikTok. The app gained immense popularity after acquiring Musical.ly, a lip-syncing platform that was well-liked in the U.S. and Europe, quickly becoming a hit, especially in Western markets.
The platform’s emphasis on personalized content over direct social interactions contributed to its cultural impact. TikTok’s popularity surged during the COVID-19 pandemic lockdowns, with viral dance challenges becoming a defining aspect of the app. This success prompted rivals like Instagram and YouTube to introduce their own short-video features, Reels and Shorts, in an effort to compete with TikTok’s leading position.
However, TikTok’s rise has not been without controversy. U.S. officials have raised concerns regarding the app’s ownership and the possibility that Chinese laws could force ByteDance to share user data with the Chinese government. Another contentious issue has been TikTok’s algorithm, which determines the content users encounter on the app.
During his presidency, Trump sought to ban TikTok in 2020, citing national security concerns, but courts intervened to block the ban. That same year, India also prohibited TikTok following a military dispute with China. Under Biden, the administration reversed Trump’s orders but continued a national security review of TikTok, overseen by the Committee on Foreign Investment in the U.S. (CFIUS).
From January 2021 to August 2022, TikTok engaged in negotiations with the Biden administration to secure its ongoing presence in the U.S. These discussions led to a draft security agreement intended to separate TikTok’s U.S. operations from its Chinese parent company. Despite some modifications, including the transfer of U.S. user data to Oracle servers, the negotiations ultimately stalled.
TikTok claimed it had invested over $2 billion in its “Project Texas” initiative to address U.S. concerns. However, the Justice Department argued that the plan fell short of adequately insulating TikTok’s operations from China. In 2023, the White House directed federal agencies to remove TikTok from government devices.
In 2024, the TikTok ban re-emerged as a key issue in Congress, garnering bipartisan support. A law mandating ByteDance to sell TikTok within nine months of its passage was approved and signed by President Biden. In response, TikTok, ByteDance, and several content creators filed lawsuits to challenge the legislation.
With the deadline looming, the law now stipulates that ByteDance must divest the app by January 19, 2025. A 90-day extension may be granted if a buyer is actively pursuing the acquisition of TikTok. While experts believe the app won’t vanish from current users’ devices immediately, new downloads and updates will be restricted, leading to its eventual obsolescence.
As the deadline aligns with Trump’s inauguration, uncertainty lingers regarding how the new administration will approach the ban.
