 "TikTok says will 'go dark' on Sunday after Supreme Court's ruling, CEO thanks Trump for support")
Popular video-sharing app TikTok confirmed that it will ‘go dark’ on Sunday unless the company gets more clarity from US President Joe Biden’s administration and the Department of Justice. The statement came after the US Supreme Court upheld the law which forces TikTok to be banned unless its parent company ByteDance divest from the app.
“The statements issued today by both the Biden White House and the Department of Justice have failed to provide the necessary clarity and assurance to the service providers that are integral to maintaining TikTok’s availability to over 170 million Americans,” the company said on Friday evening in a post on X, formerly known as Twitter. Meanwhile, TikTok’s CEO Shou Chew also shared a video message on Friday thanking the incoming US President-elect Donald Trump.
Statement on Possible Shutdown
— TikTok Policy (@TikTokPolicy) January 18, 2025
The statements issued today by both the Biden White House and the Department of Justice have failed to provide the necessary clarity and assurance to the service providers that are integral to maintaining TikTok's availability to over 170 million…
The statement from the company came hours after Chew shared his video message. “Unless the Biden Administration immediately provides a definitive statement to satisfy the most critical service providers assuring non-enforcement, unfortunately, TikTok will be forced to go dark on January 19,” the statement continued. It was earlier reported that the app had planned to “go dark” as a final resort.
TikTok CEO thanks Trump
The video posted on TikTok marked Chew’s first public statement since the Supreme Court upheld a law banning the app just hours earlier. “I want to thank President Trump for his commitment to work with us to find a solution that keeps TikTok available in the United States,” he said. “This is a strong stand for the First Amendment and against arbitrary censorship.”
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More Shorts“We are grateful and pleased to have the support of a president who truly understands our platform — one who has used TikTok to express his thoughts and perspectives, connecting with the world and generating more than 60 billion views of his content in the process," the TikTok CEO furthered. On Friday, the Biden administration announced that it was leaving the implementation of the controversial law in the hands of Trump who will assume the White House on Monday.
It is important to note that during his first stint in the Oval Office, Trump unsuccessfully tried to ban TikTok. However, he has changed his tune since then and actively used the app during his 2024 presidential campaign. After his victory, Trump’s team emphasised how the app helped the former president to reach a “wider younger audience”. Despite the court ruling Chew is expected to attend Trump’s inauguration Monday and sit where he will sit with other tech executives.
While reacting to the Supreme Court’s ruling, Trump wrote on Truth Social that “The Supreme Court decision was expected, and everyone must respect it. My decision on TikTok will be made in the not-too-distant future, but I must have time to review the situation. Stay tuned!”
With inputs from agencies.
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