US President Joe Biden has signed a legislation which will ban TikTok if its parent company doesn't sell it - so when could the app get deleted?
What does Biden's bill say?
On Wednesday (24 April), the US president shocked a lot of TikTok users when he signed a bill which gives the owners of TikTok, China-based company ByteDance, two options.
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Either the company can sell TikTok, or the video-sharing app will be banned in the US.
Biden signed the bill after it passed in the Senate by a landslide on Tuesday, when 79 senators voted in favor of the bill and just 18 voted against.
It comes after years of attempts to ban the app over fears it could give the Chinese government access to sensitive user data.
What has TikTok said about the ban?
TikTok took to X to share a statement on the legislation after Biden signed the bill, calling the law 'unconstitutional' and claiming it would 'challenge it in court'.
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"We believe the facts and the law are clearly on our side, and we will ultimately prevail," it continued.
"The fact is, we have invested billions of dollars to keep U.S. data safe and our platform free from outside influence and manipulation. This ban would devastate seven million businesses and silence 170 million Americans.
"As we continue to challenge this unconstitutional ban, we will continue investing and innovating to ensure TikTok remains a space where Americans of all walks of life can safely come to share their experiences, find joy, and be inspired."
How long does ByteDance have to sell TikTok?
The bill states that ByteDance now has nine months to find a buyer in America.
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If they're able to find a buyer and the sale is in progress when the deadline comes around, the company will then get another three months to complete the sale.
While a number of US buyers are reported to have expressed interest in buying TikTok - which makes sense, given how popular it is - ByteDance has made clear that it is not in favor of selling the app.
So when could TikTok be deleted?
If ByteDance fails or refuses to find a buyer for TikTok, the soonest the app could be banned in the US would be in one year, according to the legislation's current timeline.
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However, it's worth noting that ByteDance has said it will fight the legislation, which would take the up by the D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals.
Court challenges could delay proceedings by months - if not years.
Isaac Boltansky, director of policy for the financial services firm BTIG, told NBC News ByteDance would likely file a suit no later than this fall. Then, when the case is under judicial review, the 'clock' on any ban is effectively paused.
Further delays could come after the Court of Appeals ruling, if the losing side chooses to request a review by the U.S. Supreme Court.
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What would happen if the app is banned?
If the ban comes in to force, it will become illegal for web-hosting services to support TikTok, meaning Google and Apple will be forced to remove the app from its stores.
Users who have already downloaded the app would be restricted from accessing updates, security patches and bug fixes, meaning that over time the app will become not only a security risk, but simply unusable.
What does the ban mean for creators?
It's no secret that millions of people use TikTok every day, and a lot of content creators have managed to turn the platform into a source of income for them.
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Creators have spoken out against the ban, with TikTok user Alex Pearlman telling the Associated Press: "I don’t take a day for granted on this app, because it’s been so shocking.
"In reality, TikTok has been the driver of American social media for the last four years. Something will step into that place if TikTok vanishes tomorrow. Whether or not that will be better or worse, Congress has no way of knowing.”
If the ban comes into place, creators would be forced to turn to other platforms with the hope that their audiences would come with them.
Topics: TikTok, Social Media, Technology, Business, World News, US News, Joe Biden
Emily Brown