JAPAN – 2022/12/14: In this photo illustration, a TikTok App Logo is displayed on a mobile phone. … [+]
A TikTok ban seems even more likely after a federal appeals court unanimously decided to uphold the ruling. “The Government acted solely to protect that freedom from a foreign adversary nation and to limit that adversary’s ability to gather data on people in the United States,” wrote Senior Judge Douglas Ginsburg in the majority opinion.
The three-judge panel sided with the Justice Department in a law that would ban TikTok from distribution on app stores. The ban, approved by Congress and President Biden earlier this year, made provisions for the Chinese company that owns TikTok, called Bytedance, until January 19 of next year to sell the app or shut it down entirely in the United States.
The TikTok ban and everyday users
For everyday users, the ban could have a big impact simply because many of us use the app in our daily routine. It’s become as common as Facebook and Instagram. We use TikTok for entertainment, researching places to eat, and learning about trends.
I’ll use myself as an example, I’m a total coffee snob and love finding eclectic caffeine dispensaries in my area. There’s no better way to find them than TikTok. For starters, the algorithm is just better than other apps. I’ve seen short clips of trendy coffee shops many times in my feed, then headed directly to that location based on the mini review. Once the algorithm finds out what you like (based on how long you watch or your clicks), it just keeps getting better.
Instagram has made a noble effort to keep up, but the reality is that I just don’t see the same trending content along all of the other clips in my feed. I don’t find as many coffee shops, which is just one small example of how easy it is to get hooked on the app.
What happens after the TikTok ban
Will TikTok survive in some form or another? Probably, especially since it is looking like the most likely scenario is that Bytedance will simply find a new owner in the United States. I also wonder if users are already starting to find alternatives, such as YouTube Shorts or the reels in Facebook. Recently, user registrations have started to decline.
What will most likely happen is that, if the ban goes into effect, then the app stores will not allow anyone to download and use the app, since that would come with hefty fines. Users will switch to other apps that do not quite match the algorithm in TikTok but work about the same.
This latest appeals ruling is definitely another nail in the coffin, but everything is about to change on January 20 when Donald Trump takes office for a second term. What could happen at that time is that he tries to reinstate the app. Previously, Trump had called for a ban and then reversed his decision. His new administration seems divided on keeping the ban.
My guess is that Bytedance will find a buyer in the United States before the TikTok ban goes into effect. I doubt they will trust that President Trump will make any quick moves to keep it alive once he gets into office.
