Tik Tok to shut down this January

The Supreme Court is set to hear arguments on January 10 regarding the looming TikTok ban scheduled for January 19.

TikTok has warned that unless the Court intervenes, the platform may shut down in the United States, leaving over 170 million monthly users without access.

In a legal filing, TikTok stated, “Absent such relief, that would shut down TikTok—one of the nation’s most popular speech platforms—on the eve of a presidential inauguration.”

President-elect Donald Trump has also urged the Supreme Court to delay the ban until after his inauguration, citing “foreign policy concerns.”

While Trump has the authority to issue a 90-day postponement of the ban after January 19, Congress would need to confirm that ByteDance, TikTok’s parent company, is making significant progress toward divesting its U.S. operations.

If the ban goes into effect, TikTok will not disappear from devices where it is already installed. However, users will not receive updates, and no new downloads will be permitted.

Apple and Google would be required to remove TikTok from their respective app stores once the ban is implemented.

Meanwhile, TikTok’s Los Angeles-based employees are contending with the effects of widespread wildfires.

The Culver City office remains closed due to power outages caused by high winds. Employees have been instructed to work from home or take sick days as an alternative.

For many, this has been challenging, as significant portions of the broader LA area are without power or internet access, affecting nearly four million residents.

TikTok leadership has announced the office closure from January 8 to January 12, designating these days as work-from-home periods.

However, many employees report being unable to work effectively due to wildfire-related disruptions. The situation adds another layer of complexity as the company prepares for the potential U.S. shutdown.