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Will TikTok Get Banned In The U.S. On January 19th? The United States TikTok Ban Explained
It has been almost five years since former and now-reelected President Donald Trump and his administration started to consider banning the Chinese app TikTok in the United States over security concerns.
Many attempts to shut down the app have gained significant attention in the years since, however, things are likely more serious this time, as the fate of TikTok lies in the hands of the Supreme Court hearing scheduled for this Friday (January 10th, 2025) to decide a law signed by Joe Biden in April 2024 over whether the app gets banned in the country unless it's sold by ByteDance, leaving a third of U.S. adults who use TikTok without access to the platform (at least without at VPN).
@advicefromizzo 2025 is not my year #foryou #viral #trending #tiktok #banned #2025 #taylorswift ♬ original sound – izzy :)
With a pivotal decision expected today, countless netizens are questioning what this means for the future of the app, while also spamming the internet with loads of memes and frenetic reactions by those addicted to the short video platform or use it as a source of income and entertainment.
Here's what you need to know about the U.S. TikTok ban, from how it originated to what the latest developments are, as well as how people are reacting to it around the web.
What Is The TikTok Ban Bill?
The TikTok ban bill, officially known as the "Protecting Americans from Foreign Adversary Controlled Applications Act," mandates that social media apps owned by foreign adversaries must either be sold to an American company or face a ban.
The bill was introduced in March 2024 by Wisconsin representative Mike Gallagher, a Republican, which essentially requires TikTok's owners, the Chinese company ByteDance, to divest from the app lest it face a ban in the U.S.
Passed by Congress with broad support, the law was signed by President Joe Biden in April 2024, giving TikTok a nine-month window, extendable by an additional three months, to comply with the sale requirements.
If not, the platform could be banned from operating in the U.S. by January 19th, 2025, which is just over a week away.
Why Is TikTok Facing a U.S. Ban?
Since the first attempt to ban the Chinese app by the Trump administration back in 2020, the U.S. government is primarily concerned that TikTok could pose a significant national security threat.
Lawmakers, politicians and other officials argue that the Chinese government could compel ByteDance to provide U.S. citizens' user data or manipulate content.
Despite these concerns, TikTok has continuously stated that there is no concrete evidence to support claims of such actions, insisting that the law infringes upon constitutional rights to free speech and the First Amendment.
In March 2023, TikTok CEO Shou Zi Chew testified before Congress regarding data security and the ban in the U.S., which quickly became a high-profile topic as it made headlines across international news sources.
@tiktok Our CEO, Shou Chew, shares a special message on behalf of the entire TikTok team to thank our community of 150 million Americans ahead of his congressional hearing later this week.
Shou Zi also posted a video on TikTok's official account after Biden signed the law to ban the app, publicly affirming the company's commitment to challenging the law in court and emphasizing that TikTok's users in the U.S. will continue to access the platform during this period.
@tiktok Response to TikTok Ban Bill
Who Would Buy TikTok To Prevent The U.S. Ban?
If a sale were to occur to mitigate TikTok's ban, potential buyers could include large tech companies or investment groups looking to gain a foothold in the social media market.
CNN journalist Brian Fung wrote in an article on the topic, "The prospect of a TikTok sale could lead to a potential feeding frenzy," adding that "China’s commerce ministry has previously said it would "firmly oppose" any forced sale of TikTok.
According to Forbes, the billionaire Frank McCourt leads formal offer to buy TikTok, who claims, "his organization’s proposal, the value of which was not disclosed, would keep the platform alive in the U.S. but rebuild it in a way that prioritizes Americans’ privacy and doesn't rely on the current TikTok algorithm."
Has TikTok Been Banned In Other Countries?
Yes, TikTok has faced bans and restrictions in several countries over concerns related to data privacy, national security and content moderation. The most notable ban occurred in India in June 2020 following a military clash along the India-China border.
How Is The TikTok Ban Being Memed Online?
The potential TikTok ban in the U.S. has led to a frenzy of memes and reactions across social media platforms. For instance, X user MoniqueK___ posted a POV meme yesterday depicting Americans on January 18th, 2025, moments before the video platform gets shut down.
About to be us fr https://t.co/nl8ljLmUY9 pic.twitter.com/Uu7fLc339B
— 💕 (@MoniqueK___) January 9, 2025
Late last month, TikTok user @floppedqueencrops posted a Wreck-It-Ralph clip to show how the platform could disappear for U.S. citizens on January 19th, 2025.
@floppedqueencrops say your goodbyes in the comments 😭😭💔 #tik #tok #fyp #fypシ #stantwitter #tiktokban #floppedslayqueen ♬ original sound – FloppedQueenCrops😍
For the full history of the 2025 United States TikTok Ban, be sure to check out Know Your Meme's encyclopedia entry for more information.
