WASHINGTON: The US Supreme Court’s decision to uphold a federal law that could ban TikTok nationwide has left the popular social media platform’s future uncertain. With President-elect Donald Trump signaling that he may take steps to keep TikTok available, tech companies like Google and Apple are caught in the middle, facing potential fines of up to $5,000 per user if they continue to distribute the platform.
TikTok’s parent company, ByteDance, has vowed to “go dark” on January 19 if the law isn’t struck down, but the company has not said whether it will limit access to the app or its website. Experts believe that existing users will still be able to access the app, but new users will not be able to update it, making it unusable in the long term.
Tech observers and users are watching closely to see what happens over the weekend and beyond. “We’re really in uncharted territory here in terms of tech policy,” said Sarak Kreps, director of Cornell University’s Tech Policy Institute.
Tech companies like Apple and Google are under pressure to remove TikTok from their app stores, but they may face significant fines if they do so. “Penalties for companies like Apple and Google could run as high as $850 billion,” wrote Sen. Tom Cotton.
In a statement, TikTok CEO Shou Chew thanked President-elect Trump for his commitment to work with the company to find a solution that keeps the platform available. However, with the clock ticking down to midnight Sunday, the fate of TikTok remains uncertain.
The situation is complicated by the fact that tech companies have been attempting to forge friendlier ties with Trump since his election. However, removing TikTok from their app stores would open them up to punitive fines. As one expert noted, “It would defy credulity for them to continue to offer TikTok, even if they want to please Trump.”
Agencies