Washington, January 18: With President-elect Donald Trump adding uncertainty around whether a TikTok ban will go into effect, the focus is now turning to companies like Google and Apple that are expected to take the popular video sharing app off their platforms in just two days. Though the Supreme Court on Friday unanimously upheld a federal law that could ban TikTok nationwide, it's unclear how a shutdown of the popular social media platform will play out and what Americans will see when the clock strikes midnight on Sunday.

The court decision comes against a backdrop of unusual political agitation by Trump, who vowed that he could negotiate a solution after he takes office, and the administration of President Joe Biden, which has signaled it won't enforce the law beginning Sunday, his final full day in office. Now, tech observers 슬롯사이트� and some users 슬롯사이트� are intently watching to see what happens over the weekend and beyond. TikTok Ban To Be Revoked by Donald Trump? After Supreme Court's Decision, CEO Shou Chew Releases Video, Thanks US President-Elect for His Commitment To Find Solution That Keeps TikTok Available.

What Tech CEOs Say?

슬롯사이트œWe're really in uncharted territory here in terms of tech policy,슬롯사이트� said Sarak Kreps, the director of Cornell University's Tech Policy Institute. Under the law, mobile app stores 슬롯사이트� like the ones operated by Apple and Google 슬롯사이트� and internet hosting services will face major fines if they continue to distribute the platform to US users beyond the deadline for divestment from ByteDance, TikTok's China-based parent company. The companies could pay up to $5,000 for each user who continues to access TikTok, meaning penalties could total to a large sum.

TikTok Likely To Go Dark on January 19

A lawyer representing TikTok told Supreme Court justices last week that the platform will 슬롯사이트œgo dark슬롯사이트� on Jan 19 if the law isn't struck down. But TikTok, which is not required to block its own platform under the statute, has not said whether it will limit access to the app, or its website, on Sunday. Experts have noted TikTok's app should remain available for current users, but existing ones will no longer be able to update it, making it unusable in the long term. Trump's national security adviser has signaled this week that the incoming administration may take steps to 슬롯사이트œkeep TikTok from going dark,슬롯사이트� though what that looks like 슬롯사이트� and if any of those steps can withhold legal scrutiny 슬롯사이트� remains unclear. TikTok Ban Upheld: US Supreme Court Upholds Law Banning TikTok Unless Chinese Company ByteDance Sells Platform by January 19.

슬롯사이트œMy decision on TikTok will be made in the not-too-distant future, but I must have time to review the situation,슬롯사이트� Trump said Friday in a post on Truth Social after the court's ruling. Earlier in the day, he said in another post that TikTok was among the topics in his conversation with Chinese leader Xi Jinping. In the meantime, some of the attention has turned to tech companies, such as Apple, Google and Oracle, who currently offer TikTok on their app stores or host company data on their servers.

Tech CEOs Bid To Forge Friendly Ties With Trump

Tech CEOs have been attempting to forge friendlier ties with Trump, who wants to put the TikTok ban on hold, since he was elected in November. But Kreps said it would 슬롯사이트œdefy credulity슬롯사이트� for them to continue to offer TikTok, even if they want to please Trump, since it would open them up to punitive fines. Tech companies are also used to removing apps at the behest of governments. In 2023, Apple says it removed nearly 1,500 apps globally. Nearly 1,300 of the apps were made in China.

슬롯사이트œPenalties for companies like Apple and Google could run as high as $850 billion,슬롯사이트� Sen Tom Cotton, R-Ark, wrote on X on Thursday, while referring to the US TikTok law. 슬롯사이트œNot sure I'd take a politician's word if I ran those companies.슬롯사이트� Meanwhile, David Choffnes, executive director of the Cybersecurity and Privacy Institute at Northeastern University in Boston, said he believes there's a 슬롯사이트œsmall chance슬롯사이트� that nothing happens to TikTok, but acknowledged that would require 슬롯사이트œenormous risk on the on the part of the companies that support them.슬롯사이트�

Apple, Google and Oracle did not respond to questions sent this week about their plans on TikTok. In a video after the court ruling, TikTok CEO Shou Chew, who is expected to attend Trump's inauguration and be granted a prime seating location on the dais, thanked the president-elect for 슬롯사이트œhis commitment to work슬롯사이트� with TikTok to 슬롯사이트œfind a solution슬롯사이트� that keeps the platform available. 슬롯사이트œWe are grateful and pleased to have the support of a president who truly understands our platform 슬롯사이트� one who has used TikTok to express his own thoughts and perspectives, connecting with the world and generating more than 60 billion views of his content in the process,슬롯사이트� Chew said.

In a letter sent Friday to Biden and Attorney General Merrick Garland, an attorney for TikTok creators who sued the government asked the administration to pause enforcement of the law 슬롯사이트œuntil there is further definitive guidance.슬롯사이트� 슬롯사이트œIn addition, we request that you clarify that no app store, internet hosting service, or other provider faces any risk of enforcement or penalties with respect to TikTok, CapCut, or any other ByteDance apps, until such further guidance has been issued,슬롯사이트� said the letter by attorney Jeffrey Fisher.

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