TikTok’s Battle for Survival: Will American Takeover or Ban End the App’s Popularity?

TikTok, the Chinese-owned social media app, is facing an ultimatum from the United States government to either sell the company or face closure. With just nine months to make a decision, ByteDance, TikTok’s parent company, is now grappling with questions about its future.

One possibility is that TikTok could be sold to an American company, keeping the app mostly unchanged. However, TikTok views the new law as a ban and has already challenged it in court. This legal battle could potentially extend the initial nine-month period into 2024 and may impact elections taking place in November.

The situation may not directly affect users outside of the US; however, a TikTok without its 170 million US users could significantly alter the platform’s overall content creation and trends. If a ban were implemented, Apple and Google would likely remove the app from their stores, leading to an end in updates and restrictions imposed by internet providers. Users could still access Reels through VPNs but would have to go through a more cumbersome process.

Facebook-owned Instagram Reels stands as a potential alternative for content creators looking for a similar format as TikTok. As Reels gains popularity among users outside of China, many may shift their attention to this platform if banned from TikTok.

The main reason behind the US government’s push to ban TikTok is national security concerns about potential manipulation of data during critical events like elections or conflicts. Other countries have also imposed restrictions on TikTok due to similar concerns. The European Commission has engaged in discussions with TikTok over its practices regarding new app called TikTok Lite.

While nothing is certain at this point, one possibility for TikTok is selling the app without its algorithm but continuing operations without it being a significant asset. Ultimately, decisions made in the next few months will determine how popular social media platform will proceed forward