Memo to self …
Have a big bowl of popcorn ready for the 19th reveal of the non-reveal meltdown party.
The law does not ban users from using the platform, but rather requires U.S. app stores to stop internet service providers from hosting the service. However, the Information’s report suggests TikTok will cut off access for everyone instead of allowing those who have downloaded the app to continue using it.
Evidently, neither users nor TikTok would face consequences if the app remains available in the Apple, Google, Oracle, etc app stores, but those companies would be punished.
TikTok is deciding to go dark in the US on both the app instances already downloaded and the web.
Frankly, I’m crotchety, but why does every single thing demand space on my phone, anyway? Ain’t errrverything gotta be an app, Kroger. 
Ok, nope, I was 100% wrong about that:
^ From the same yesterday Forbes article: https://www.forbes.com/sites/antoniopequenoiv/2025/01/17/tiktok-faces-a-ban-sunday-heres-what-users-can-do-if-the-app-becomes-unavailable-in-the-us/.
TikTok App has gone dark here in NY. My 20 year old daughter was just complaining about it. Assume the ban has begun. It wasn’t anything that our Govt did. TT itself has pulled out of the US.
From what I understand, it will be back on Monday for 90 days to try and resolve the issues.
Yikes, real wrong 
like 200%
“Sugar, we’re going down” - Fall Out Boy, playing in my head for some reason…the most emo song I could think of at the moment 
I think the name is security threat enough 
Even if Meta wants to buy Tiktok, the CCP could still block the sale. No matter what anyone says, Bytedance (and thus Tiktok) are under the thumb of the CCP, which is kind of the point of the ban. If you don’t think that’s true, research what happened to Jack Ma and the businesses he thought that he owned.
I believe what I read is if anyone buys it, they are buying the brand only. The algorithm would not be included, and that’s what makes $$$$
Ok, I smell PR stunt now.
That’s not how executive orders work…I thought that was clear.
But theater is fun…it’s gonna be a fun ride for sure.
Politico’s post on the plan to save Tiktok is interesting because it brings up X and how the owner of X says he was opposed to Tiktok being banned for a long time but that Tiktok shouldn’t be allowed to operate in the US while X can’t operate in China.
I can’t post here because it has two banned words but the specific point about X being mentioned is interesting.
I wont even pretend to claim to understand how any of this will play out.
Sellers who have set up TikTok Shops, how are you pivoting or divesting into other social media platforms, given the uncertainty around foreign-adversary owned platforms and the new law?
2 Likes
Don’t have Tik Tok shop but the move a year + ago was driving traffic from Tik tok to amazon because of cheaper CPMs
Currently, the consensus seems to be Instagram Reels and YT shorts. Instagram Reels is easy enough because its nearly identical workflow to find influencers create content and promote the post - Spark Ads v. Promoting Reels
YT shorts would be a bit of a challenge since the influencer base is not entirely on YT shorts - that is more a content gen platform
Things are getting interesting but post 6 months I can probably provide an update. My ish doesn’t start till next month.
Didn’t I read somewhere that a couple of your kids were selling Girl Scout cookies last February?
“Old,” my foot!
Have some respect for those of us who are trying to decide where to have our ashes scattered… 
Fair! And yes, it IS Cookie Season 
https://www.npr.org/2025/01/20/nx-s1-5268701/trump-executive-order-tiktok-ban
So basically it’s all still clear as mud. 
Yah…I want to understand how an executive order can overturn a bipartisan law - I think executive orders are being conflated with executive pardons, which, TBF have occurred.
This is very interesting.
“John Marshall has made his decision, now let him enforce it .” - Supposedly spoken by President Andrew Jackson.
This has been a serious constitutional question for about 150 years. We may finally get to see it resolved. OTOH, congress may chicken out and back the president on a party line vote.