Congress has directed Apple and Google to prepare for TikTok's removal from U.S. app stores by January 19, following a federal appeals court decision upholding legislation requiring ByteDance to divest its U.S. TikTok operations or face a ban.

Key Points:

• Representative John Moolenaar (Republican) and Raja Krishnamoorthi (Democrat) urged TikTok CEO Shou Zi Chew to sell the platform, citing national security concerns.

• ByteDance and TikTok filed an emergency request to temporarily block the law while awaiting Supreme Court review.

• The Department of Justice clarified that existing users can continue using TikTok, but lack of app store support will eventually make the application unusable.

Impact and Concerns:

• TikTok warns that without court intervention, the app will disappear from stores on January 19, affecting potential new users.

• The platform could become "totally unusable" due to ended support services.

• Senator Josh Hawley emphasized ByteDance's Chinese oversight as the primary concern.

Political Context:

President-elect Donald Trump has indicated opposition to a TikTok ban, reversing his previous stance due to concerns about strengthening Meta-owned platforms.

ByteDance must now either sell TikTok's U.S. operations or face removal from American app stores, marking a significant development in the ongoing debate over Chinese-owned social media platforms in the United States.

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