TikTok says it will remain dark on Sunday unless Biden intervenes

TikTok said its services would stop operating on Sunday without a guarantee from the Biden administration that it would not be penalized apple, Google and other service providers if they support the application.

“Unless the Biden administration immediately provides a final statement to satisfy the most critical service providers to ensure non-implementation, unfortunately, TikTok will be forced to cease operations on January 19,” TikTok said. In a statement Friday.

The statement notes that TikTok’s American user base, which the company claims is more than 170 million, will not be able to use the service when the app or website opens on Sunday.

TikTok released the statement yet The Supreme Court ruled unanimously on Friday To support a law requiring service providers to stop supporting its app within the United States if parent company ByteDance fails to implement a “qualified divestment” of the app by Sunday. As a result, Apple, Google and oracle They may face severe penalties if they fail to abide by the law.

“The statements issued today by both the Biden White House and the Department of Justice fail to provide the necessary clarity and assurance to the service providers who are integral to maintaining TikTok availability for more than 170 million Americans,” TikTok said in its statement.

However, Biden’s term ends on Monday when he becomes president-elect Donald Trump Begins his second term in the White House. Trump, who previously supported banning TikTok, later backed away from the order. In December, Trump he asked Supreme Court to Stop implementing the law and allowing his administration “the opportunity to pursue a political solution to the issues raised in this case.”

In a post Friday on the social media app Truth Social, Trump wrote: “My decision on TikTok will be made in the not-too-distant future, but I should have time to review the situation. Stay tuned!”

Earlier Friday, the Biden administration announced Issue a statement Saying that TikTok “should remain available to Americans, but simply under American ownership.”

The statement said: “Given the reality of the timing, this administration realizes that measures to implement the law must fall to the next administration, which will take office on Monday.”

Attorney General Merrick Garland and his deputy Lisa Monaco said in a He releases The decision “enables the Department of Justice to prevent the Chinese government from using TikTok as a weapon to undermine American national security.”

He watches: “We are the only bidder on TikTok that meets the SCOTUS criteria,” says Frank McCourt.