TikTok Prepares to Sign Off in the US This Sunday

TikTok is preparing to shut down its U.S. operations, affecting the 170 million Americans who use the app, starting Sunday when a federal ban is scheduled to take effect—unless a last-minute intervention occurs.

The Washington Post reported that President-elect Donald Trump, who takes office the day after the ban is set to begin, is considering an executive order to delay the shutdown for 60 to 90 days. However, the report did not specify the legal basis for such an action.

According to the new law signed in April, the ban will be applied to new TikTok downloads on iOS and Android if ByteDance doesn’t sell their shares in the app to the US company. 

In theory, users who have already downloaded TikTok could continue using the app. However, the law also prohibits U.S. companies from offering services starting Sunday supporting the app’s distribution, maintenance, or updates.

The Trump transition team did not provide an immediate comment. Trump has stated that he should have time after office to seek a “political resolution” to the matter.