TikTok Users Prepare to Say Goodbye as Ban Draws Close
On January 19, TikTok will be officially banned in the United States. In other words, TikTok will still be chilling on your phone, but it will slowly turn into a digital ghost town; no updates, no new features, just stuck in the past like an old flip phone.
The Supreme Court heard arguments from TikTok’s legal team on Friday, January 9th, but so far, they’re holding firm on the ban, showing no signs of backing down.
TikTok came out swinging, insisting they’d gone all-in on protecting U.S. user data and were as transparent as a freshly cleaned window. But the U.S. government wasn’t having it, doubling down on national security concerns. They argued that ByteDance, the company that owns TikTok, has ties to the Chinese government, which could turn TikTok into a potential puppet for some serious state-level shenanigans.
Can President Trump save TikTok?
But wait, don’t you find yourself thinking, “Doesn’t Trump want to save TikTok?” Maybe you're even saying it out loud, just to be sure. Well, you’re not alone! Former and future President Trump has been all over the place, shouting from the rooftops about his mission to rescue TikTok.
“I have a warm spot in my heart for TikTok, because I won youth by 34 points,” Trump said in a press conference on Dec. 16, 2024, in Palm Beach, FL. “There are those that say that TikTok had something to do with that.”
Unfortunately, the ban would take place a day before his inauguration. He could try to push Congress to repeal the law and save TikTok, but it wouldn’t be as easy as stealing candy from a baby.
It will be a challenging task for President Trump to prevent or reverse the efforts to ban TikTok. He will likely face many obstacles, resistance, or significant hurdles, such as legal challenges, political opposition, or public concern over national security, making it a tough situation to navigate.
Even though President Trump might try to protect TikTok, success is far from guaranteed. It’s not looking like President Trump will ride in as the knight in shining armor TikTok users were hoping for.
TikTok Users Turn to Humor
When life gives you lemons, make memes. And that’s exactly what many TikTok users are doing as the ban draws closer, with less than ten days to go.
This video, posted by TikTok user @kayla..christine, features a scene from movie The Hunger Games: Catching Fire where a character repeatedly says 'tick tock.' The caption reads, “Everyone going through withdrawals after the 19th.” The video has since racked up over a million likes.
This video, posted by TikTok user @nenehbic, features a clip of a woman saying, "The ghetto, the ghetto," with the caption: "How I will feel returning to Facebook after Tiktok is gone." Many TikTok users have expressed a strong dislike for Instagram and Facebook Reels, claiming the algorithm is disappointing and the videos aren’t as entertaining. One TikTok user, @linenhippie, commented on the video: "Everyone is so angry on Facebook," which received over 47,000 likes. Another user, @magnetic1011, added, "If they ban TikTok, I’m about to delete everything except Pinterest! Nothing will ever compare to this app!" This comment garnered over 14,000 likes, showing just how much TikTok has captured the hearts of its users.
This video, posted by TikTok user @mjays.pyt, features a famous clip of Michael Jackson, wearing sunglasses and a hat, having conversations with others. The caption reads, “me actually having conversations with my family after the Tiktok ban next week.” Guess we’ll all be trading the ‘For You’ page for awkward small talk.
It’s safe to say that TikTok has earned a special place in the hearts of the younger generations. It’s become more than just an app: it’s a digital sensation. If the ban passes, January 19th could become a day of mourning for millions of Americans.
