Thousands of TikTok influencers broke down in tears after the U.S. Supreme Court upheld a deadline for TikTok owners to sell the app or shut down by January 19.
TikTok users mourned the end of the app in tearful videos across the platform on Friday.
“I just still can’t get over the fact that the government literally cares more about an app that hasn’t proven to pose any of the threats … You know, whatever. F— this country,” said influencer Kelsey Pumel.
“These last few days on TikTok have felt like the end of school,” another creator said, like “signing yearbooks and just goofing off.”
TikTok users learning the US Surpreme Court upheld the TikTok Ban and they have only 48 hours left to post
— Trung Phan (@TrungTPhan) January 17, 2025
Some users said Sunday will mark the end of social media. One person tweeted, “This time around, let’s do better. Maybe go back to (gasp) actually talking to people.”
Others expressed sadness for the thousands of TikTok creators who will go out of business.
TikTok has over 1 billion monthly active users globally. There are approximately 170 million users in the United States.
I don’t care about the cringe videos but there is over 7 million small businesses affected by this bull sh*t Supreme Court decision.
Biden will forever be known as the President that basically deleted 7+ million small businesses on his way out the door.
— MACSWEATY (@TheMacSweaty) January 17, 2025
We’ve stooped so low if youth are driven to this amount of emotion over TikTok’s potential ban.
— Collin (@cobhimself) January 17, 2025
Last year, President Joe Biden signed a law banning TikTok for allegedly spying on U.S. citizens. Under the law, TikTok must be sold to a U.S. buyer or shut down.
On Sunday, the app will be removed from all online stores. Some users have vowed to circumvent the ban by using a VPN service to mask their IP addresses. But TikTok has said it will shut down the app completely if the ban is implemented.
Congress accused Bytedance – the Chinese company that owns TikTok – of spying on Americans and collecting sensitive data from kids.
One White House official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said President Biden will leave TikTok’s fate in the hands of the Trump administration.
Trump, who once called to ban TikTok, has pledged not to ban the app. TikTok CEO Shou Zi Chew is expected to attend Trump’s inauguration in Washington, DC on Jan. 20.
TikTok's CEO basically begging Trump to save him. ?? pic.twitter.com/jZrCed77MX
— DramaAlert (@DramaAlert) January 17, 2025