TikTok, the popular social media app owned by China’s ByteDance, faces a ban in the United States starting this Sunday unless it is sold to a U.S. investor or the U.S. Supreme Court steps in. This ban is a result of a law signed by President Joe Biden in April and marks the first attempt by the U.S. to block access to an app with a large user base of around 170 million domestic users.
The ban targets various U.S.-based partners that support TikTok, making it challenging to find workarounds such as using a virtual private network or changing a phone’s country settings. Users may only have limited access to a web-based version of the app with fewer features, and even this might not function properly.
While users won’t be forced to delete the app, TikTok plans to shut down its services, providing users with the option to download their personal data. App store providers like Apple and Google are prohibited from distributing TikTok to U.S. users, leading to the removal of the app from their stores and the discontinuation of updates.
The app heavily relies on continuous new video content, which could become difficult to deliver. Service providers, including Oracle, play a crucial role in ensuring the app runs smoothly, and their disengagement could impact users worldwide. Potential workarounds like using a VPN or accessing a web version of TikTok may not offer the same experience or level of customization as the original app.
In the face of these challenges, TikTok users in the U.S. and beyond may be left with limited options to access the platform, potentially leading to a decline in its functionality and user experience.
And configuring a new payment method for that country, as per Apple’s documentation, presents a significant challenge. It may be easier to opt for a dedicated phone solely for the app, prompting Hall to jest that the legislation could compel influencers to carry two phones, much like many already do. However, adjusting an iPhone’s settings to reflect a different country does not provide a simple solution. The law prohibits Apple and other app store providers from distributing the TikTok app to U.S. users, regardless of their device configurations. Therefore, a user would need to physically leave the United States to download TikTok.
(Reporting by Stephen Nellis and Max Cherney in San Francisco; additional reporting by David Shepardson in Washington D.C.; editing by Kenneth Li and Nia Williams)
