Is TikTok getting banned in the US in 2025? Explore the latest updates, reasons, and what this means for users and creators.

There are over 170 million TikTok users in the U.S., a representative told USA TODAY as of December 2024. Here’s when people in Florida might lose access to TikTok on app stores and how President-elect Donald Trump could save it.

Let’s discuss in detail the ban on TikTok.

Which Countries Have Banned TikTok?

Country	Reason for Ban	Date Imposed
India	National security concerns following border skirmishes with China; data privacy issues.	June 29, 2020
Afghanistan	Moral concerns and strict media control by the Taliban.	2022
Iran	IP address blocking due to government censorship policies.	Ongoing
Kyrgyzstan	Concerns over children’s development and inappropriate content.	August 2023
Nepal	Disturbance of social harmony due to misuse of the app; ban lifted after negotiations with TikTok.	November 13, 2023 (lifted August 2024)
Somalia	Spread of propaganda and indecent content.	August 21, 2023

Is TikTok Getting Banned in the US in 2025?

U.S. lawmakers are concerned about a Chinese-owned social network that could threaten national security.

This Friday (January 3rd, 2025), ByteDance, the company that owns TikTok, will ask the U.S. Supreme Court to stop a ban on the app that’s planned for later this month (January, 2025).

Biden signed new law on April 24 – 2024. It says the company that owns TikTok, ByteDance, must sell the application by January 19. If they don’t, TikTok will be removed, and people in the U.S. won’t be able to download or use it on the internet.

It’s unclear what Donald Trump, the President-elect, will do about a possible ban when he starts his new term on January 20. During his first term, he attempted to ban the TikTok app, but in his 2024 campaign, he said he changed his mind.

In a December press conference at Mar-a-Lago, he said TikTok has a “warm spot in my heart” and thanked the app for helping him gain support from youthful voters.

Here’s what you need to know about the TikTok decision.

When Will the Supreme Court Review the Ban on TikTok?

On Friday, January 10, the Supreme Court will take a look at TikTok’s arguments. Only a few days before TikTok could be banned. The court will decide whether or not to allow the ban to happen.

What Action Is TikTok Requesting From the Supreme Court?

TikTok is asking the Supreme Court (SCOTUS) to change a decision made by a lower court. The lower court, called the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit, said that the U.S. government can limit TikTok because of troubles about national security.

TikTok believes this decision is wrong because it says the law goes against people’s right to free speech. TikTok argues that stopping people from using their platform just because of security concerns is unfair and hurts freedom of expression.

TikTok wants the highest court in the country to overturn this decision and protect the free speech rights of its users.

Could Someone Acquire TikTok?

China has often said it doesn’t want to sell TikTok. However, billionaire Frank McCourt now wishes to purchase the US part of TikTok. He’s the founder of Project Liberty and the boss of McCourt Global. McCourt says a group of his business partners has promised to pay as much as $20 billion to buy TikTok’s U.S. part.

McCourt said that if he bought TikTok, he would only be buying the part of TikTok that is used in the U.S. He would not be getting the important part of TikTok called the “algorithm,” which is the system that decides what videos to show people.

This algorithm is very valuable, and China considers it their special property, so they wouldn’t sell it. He shared this information during an interview with CBS on the show “Face the Nation” earlier this month.

Is Donald Trump Going to Save TikTok?

Trump’s plans for TikTok if he becomes president again are not clear. In his first term, he tried to stop TikTok. However, recently, he has said different things about the app.

During a conference, Trump admitted to having a warm spot for TikTok. He believes the app helped him connect with young voters in the 2024 election and gain their support.

Why Is TikTok Getting Banned?

There have been worries about national security because ByteDance, the company that owns TikTok, is based in Beijing, China. People are concerned that the company could access American users’ data and share it with the Chinese government.

In 2020, former President Trump took action against TikTok. He signed an executive order to try to ban TikTok in the U.S. and stop any deals with the company. This was because of security concerns. However, the ban never actually happened.

When President Biden took office, he decided to review the situation. In 2021, he canceled Trump’s ban but issued a new executive order. This order said that ByteDance (the company behind TikTok) still posed a threat to U.S. security, foreign policies, and the economy. A U.S. court agreed with this.

In 2022, President Biden signed a law that banned TikTok from being used on government devices. This was another step to protect national security.

Conclusion

Is TikTok Getting Banned In the US In 2025? With talks about TikTok possibly being banned in the US, many people are curious about the platform’s future. While it’s still unclear, one thing is certain: TikTok is growing fast. But if the ban happens, there might still be ways to watch TikTok videos.

If you want to watch TikTok without the app, check out this guide for easy steps.

FAQs

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