With President-elect Donald Trump raising doubts about whether a TikTok ban will actually be enforced, attention is shifting to major tech companies like Google and Apple, which are expected to remove the popular video-sharing app from their platforms in just two days.
This shift comes after the Supreme Court on Friday ruled unanimously in favor of a federal law that could result in a nationwide TikTok ban.
However, the outcome of such a ban remains uncertain, and it’s unclear what American users will experience once Sunday night passes.
The court’s decision comes amid political turmoil, with Trump asserting that he could negotiate a resolution once he takes office, while President Joe Biden’s administration has indicated it won’t enforce the law after Sunday, the final full day of his presidency. As a result, tech experts and many users are closely watching the situation to see what unfolds over the weekend and in the future.
“We’re truly in uncharted territory when it comes to tech policy,” said Sarak Kreps, director of Cornell University’s Tech Policy Institute.
According to the law, mobile app stores like Apple and Google, along with internet hosting services, could face significant fines if they continue offering TikTok to U.S. users after the deadline for separating from ByteDance, the app’s China-based parent company. The fines could be as much as $5,000 per user who still accesses TikTok, potentially leading to a massive financial penalty.
Experts have pointed out that while TikTok’s app will likely remain accessible to current users, those users will no longer be able to update it, which could eventually render the app unusable.
Trump’s national security adviser suggested this week that the incoming administration might take steps to prevent TikTok from going offline, though the specifics of those actions — and whether they would withstand legal challenges — are still uncertain.
In a post on Truth Social Friday, Trump mentioned that he would make a decision on TikTok in the near future, but needed time to review the situation. Earlier that day, he had also noted that TikTok was one of the topics discussed during his conversation with Chinese President Xi Jinping.
Meanwhile, attention has shifted toward tech companies like Apple, Google, and Oracle, which currently offer TikTok through their app stores or host the app’s data on their servers.
Tech CEOs have been working to build better relations with Trump, who has expressed interest in delaying the TikTok ban since his election in November. However, Kreps argued that it would be “hard to believe” these companies would continue to offer TikTok, even if they wanted to appease Trump, as doing so would expose them to potentially hefty fines.
Tech companies are accustomed to removing apps when governments request it. For example, in 2023, Apple reported that it removed nearly 1,500 apps worldwide, with almost 1,300 of those taken down in China.
Senator Tom Cotton (R-Ark.) warned on X Thursday that penalties for companies like Apple and Google could reach as high as $850 billion under the U.S. TikTok law. “I’m not sure I’d trust a politician’s word if I ran those companies,” he added.
David Choffnes, executive director of the Cybersecurity and Privacy Institute at Northeastern University, said there’s a “small chance” TikTok might not be affected, but he acknowledged that this would come with “enormous risk” for the companies supporting the app.
As of this week, Apple, Google, and Oracle have not responded to questions about their plans regarding TikTok.
After the court ruling, TikTok CEO Shou Chew posted a video thanking President-elect Trump for his “commitment to work” with TikTok to find a solution that would keep the platform accessible. Chew expressed gratitude for having a president who understands the app, highlighting Trump’s own use of TikTok to share his thoughts, which has generated over 60 billion views.
Earlier this week, TikTok informed its U.S. employees that its offices would remain open even if the situation isn’t resolved by Sunday. The company assured workers that their “employment, pay, and benefits” would remain unaffected, explaining that the law primarily impacts the user experience in the U.S., not the operations of the company itself. The memo, first reported by The New York Times, was confirmed by TikTok.
On Friday, an attorney representing TikTok creators who have sued the government sent a letter to President Biden and Attorney General Merrick Garland, urging the administration to delay enforcing the law until there is clearer guidance.
The letter, written by attorney Jeffrey Fisher, also requested that the government clarify that no app store, internet hosting service, or other provider should face enforcement actions or penalties regarding TikTok, CapCut, or any other ByteDance apps until further guidance is provided.
