Currently valued at between $40 billion and $50 billion, TikTok US has less than a week before it has to shut down its operations. No less than 170 million users would then be looking for an alternative, like Bluesky or X. Regarding X, the Chinese hope that Elon Musk will intervene and take over the American branch of TikTok. If so, the two social media apps are likely to merge. It will take time for regulators to approve the buyout, so this can all be considered a rumor for now.
According to a report from The Information, cited by Reuters,
“TikTok plans to shut down its app for U.S. users on Sunday, when a federal ban on the social media app could take effect unless the Supreme Court steps in to block it
However, the law that President Biden signed last year does not require such a measure. Although it prohibits downloading apps from Apple or Google’s app stores, the law allows current users to continue using the app. However, the long-term effect would be a slow but steady decline in the number of users.
If TikTok is banned and nothing changes, the company intends to display a message in the app that directs users to a web page with information about the issue. Additionally, it plans to offer users the ability to download all data from their existing accounts before losing access.
Regardless of what happens on Sunday, a hypothetical retaliatory ban from China against a US company like Micron ( ) could potentially lead to an agreement between the two sides in the weeks to come. According to an estimate made by TikTok in a court filing last month, a third of America’s 170 million users would stop accessing the service if the ban lasted a month; so it’s very likely that this story will end in mid-February, one way or another.
Although useful for students, First Things First: A Modern Coursebook on Free Speech Fundamentals is an interesting read for anyone interested in the First Amendment and contemporary censorship in the United States. The Kindle version is currently 81% off, making it available for $2.99 instead of $16, while the paperback edition is selling for $12.99 (thanks to a $19 discount). % applied to the same list price of $16).
