The potential ban on TikTok could drastically change the social media landscape in the US
In a move that could reshape the American social media landscape, TikTok faces a possible ban in the United States on January 19 unless Chinese parent company ByteDance sells the platform. The ban stems from a bipartisan law passed by Congress in April 2024 and signed by President Biden, giving ByteDance nine months to find a US-approved buyer or face shutdown.
Described by the US Department of Justice as “a national security threat of enormous depth and scale”, there are concerns that ByteDance could be forced to hand over US user data to the Chinese government – a claim that TikTok and ByteDance strongly deny. And while President-elect Donald Trump has asked the Supreme Court to delay the ban to seek a political solution after he takes office, the stakes remain high for an app used by 170 million Americans monthly.
From the technical implications for everyday users, to potentially seismic shifts in social media power dynamics, the ripple effects of a ban could transform the way Americans create, consume and share digital content for years to come. See why the ban is proposed and how it will affect users.
Why could TikTok be banned?
At the heart of the TikTok controversy are questions about data privacy and algorithmic content delivery. Like other major social media platforms, TikTok uses user data to power its content recommendation system, and the extent and nature of its data collection practices has become a central point in the debate over its future in the US market.
Government institutions around the world have already shown growing wariness about TikTok, and concerns about its data practices have prompted action by major institutions. In 2023, both the UK government and the European Commission moved to restrict the use of the app by banning it from employees’ devices. The BBC followed suit, asking staff to remove TikTok from company phones citing security concerns.
From a business perspective, the stakes are high. TikTok’s ad revenue in the US is expected to have arrived $11.01 billion in 2024and potential buyers are already emerging, including Frank McCourt, former owner of the Los Angeles Dodgers, who claims to have secured $20 billion in verbal commitments from investors. However, TikTok maintains that a sale is not possible and that any potential sale would likely require approval from Chinese officials.
The potential ban on TikTok has significant implications beyond US borders. The ban on TikTok in India in 2020 provides a precedent – the app was just as popular there before it was outlawed. The effects of the ban rippled across India’s digital ecosystem, forcing rapid adjustment among content creators and users. Similar responses have been seen on a smaller scale in other regions – TikTok is currently blocked in several countries, including Iran, Nepal, Afghanistan and Somalia.
Will TikTok still work after being banned?
Existing users may not immediately notice a difference after a ban.
If implemented, the ban would create a cascading effect rather than an immediate shutdown. The most immediately obvious impact would be the removal of TikTok from official app stores, since the law would specifically prohibit “the distribution, maintenance, or updating” of TikTok by any entity in the US. Companies that violate this ban could face fines of up to $5,000 per user — potentially $8.5 billion, given TikTok’s current estimated US user base.
It’s also worth noting that the app itself wouldn’t automatically disappear from users’ phones. Instead, existing users will likely enter a phase-out period as they lose access to critical updates and security patches. The app is expected to become unstable and potentially unsafe to use over time as it becomes incompatible with newer versions of mobile operating systems.
New users who didn’t already have the TikTok app installed on their devices at the time of the ban could also theoretically “download” the app from unofficial sources if they have an Android device. However, this approach poses significant security risks, potentially exposing users to malware masquerading as TikTok. Additionally, iPhone users would face even greater hurdles — they would have to “jailbreak” their devices, a complicated process that voids warranties and creates ongoing technical challenges.
Users still using the TikTok app after a ban can also expect a degraded experience, as the app will be forced to rely on foreign servers, potentially resulting in slower performance for US users. However, the law does not appear to require ISPs to block access to TikTok’s website, unlike China’s approach to blocking foreign services.
If TikTok is banned, what are the alternatives?
An estimated 170 million Americans use TikTok, making any possible future ban a major event … [+]
In the fast-paced world of social media, predicting winners and losers remains a notorious challenge. Still, TikTok’s potential exit presents a fascinating case study in the dynamics of the digital platform, raising interesting questions about how the social media landscape could be reshaped next.
Instagram Reels by Meta enters this moment with significant structural advantages. With over three billion users across its family of apps, Meta’s established ecosystem offers unparalleled reach. However, scale alone does not guarantee success. The real test will be whether Instagram can evolve its engagement mechanisms to capture the addictive quality that made TikTok a cultural phenomenon.
Google’s YouTube Shorts approaches the challenge from a different angle. While Meta brings massive scale, YouTube’s deep experience in video optimization and creator monetization could prove just as valuable. Its established record label relationships and strong content control infrastructure also position it well for the technical challenges it faces. However, the platform needs to prove it can translate those advantages into the rapid-fire engagement that has defined TikTok’s success.
Other contenders include Snapchat, which maintains a strong presence with 800 million monthly active users, and potentially newer platforms that could emerge to fill the gap. However, replicating TikTok’s sophisticated recommendation algorithm and vibrant community of creators would present significant challenges for any platform.
Overall, the competition between these tech giants could catalyze the next wave of social media innovation. We could, for example, see accelerated growth in key areas such as AI-powered content discovery, augmented reality features and new creator tools. The race to attract TikTok’s audience could lead to significant investment in areas that have historically made slower progress.
Another interesting possibility, of course, is that no platform quite replicates TikTok’s magic formula. Rather than a simple migration of users from one platform to another, we may witness the emergence of new forms of digital social interaction altogether, which will be an interesting development, to say the least.