A potential ban on TikTok could cause the app to disappear as soon as Jan. 19, prompting users and influencers to frantically find ways to save their precious video content.
On Jan. 17, the Supreme Court upheld a law signed by President Joe Biden last year that requires TikTok to divest from Chinese parent company, ByteDance, and sell to a U.S. company. Otherwise, the app will in theory be shut down.
The law goes into effect Sunday, although the Biden administration has said that it does not plan to enforce the law, instead putting that responsibility on the incoming Trump administration.
In a phone conversation Jan. 18 with NBC News’ “Meet the Press” moderator Kristen Welker, President-elect Donald Trump said that he will “most likely” give TikTok a 90-day extension to find a non-Chinese buyer when he takes office Jan. 20, which would avoid a ban on the app.
“I think that would be, certainly, an option that we look at. The 90-day extension is something that will be most likely done, because it’s appropriate. You know, it’s appropriate. We have to look at it carefully. It’s a very big situation,” Trump told Welker.
Trump said he had not yet made a final decision on the 90-day extension, but plans to make an announcement Monday, should he choose to move forward.
A 90-day extension is allowed under certain conditions, but Monday might be too late after the Sunday deadline to avoid the app going dark.
Though the White House has said they won’t enforce the law, TikTok has voiced plans to “go dark” Sunday unless it receives more “clarity and assurance” about potential legal repercussions to keeping the app available.
In a statement Jan. 18, White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre called TikTok’s plans to go dark “a stunt.”
“We have seen the most recent statement from TikTok. It is a stunt, and we see no reason for TikTok or other companies to take actions in the next few days before the Trump Administration takes office on Monday,” she said.
“We have laid out our position clearly and straightforwardly: actions to implement this law will fall to the next administration. So TikTok and other companies should take up any concerns with them,” she said.
An attorney for TikTok, Noel Francisco, told the Supreme Court on Friday that he is under the impression TikTok intends to “go dark” Sunday if the law was upheld.
“Essentially, the platform shuts down,” Francisco said.
So, how can you keep watching your favorite TikTok videos, should the app go dark Sunday? Here’s what to know.
What happens if TikTok is banned?
If TikTok doesn’t divest from ByteDance by the Sunday deadline, the app could be shut down.
As of Jan. 18, TikTok has voiced plans to go dark, unless it receives more clear guidance from the White House on how the law will be enforced and legal fallout.
Dr. Gabriela Zanfir-Fortuna, vice president for global privacy at the Future of Privacy Forum, told TODAY.com that users will likely still be able to use the app if it’s already downloaded.
“My understanding is that the current users will be able to continue using it, but it’s just they won’t be able to download updates or anything like that,” she says.
Without updates and bug fixes, however, the app will likely eventually stop working.
Once the law goes into effect Sunday, TikTok will not be available to download in app stores.
How to download your TikTok videos
Should the app go dark Sunday, users have the ability to download their favorite content — both photos and videos — before the ban takes place.
How to download a video
- Go to any TikTok video
- Select “Share” on the side of the video
- Select “Save video” and the clip will download to your device
How to download photos
- Go to any TikTok photo post
- Select “Share” on the side of the post
- Select “Save photo.” If there are multiple photos, tap “Select all” or choose which pictures you want to download.
- Select “Save”
If the option to download the video or photo post is not available, the creator of the video turned the function off.
How to download your TikTok data
There is also a way for TikTok users to request a copy of their personal data, which includes an array of data points like the username, viewing history, comment logs and privacy settings.
How to request your data
- Go to your TikTok profile page in the bottom menu
- Select the menu button at the top, which looks like three bars. Then, select “Settings and privacy”
- Select “Account”
- Select “Download your data”
- Choose which information you would like to include in the downloadable file, as well as the file format
- Select “Request data”
The app will then create a file of the selected data points, which can then be downloaded from the data tab. TikTok says it will notify the user when the file is ready to be downloaded, which could take “a few days.”
To download the data file, go through the aforementioned steps one through five. Then, select “Download,” if the file is ready.
What are TikTok alternatives?
Some TikTok users are facing the reality of a potential ban, moving their content consumption to apps that have a similar video viewing experience.
Instagram offers Reels and Youtube has Shorts, both of which are also short-form videos. The clips tend to include trending content and popular topics based on your personal algorithm.
Xiaohongshu, an app known as RedNote in English, is another video and live-streaming app with similar functions to TikTok.
