Time is ticking for TikTok: US ban set for January 19
With less than four days remaining until the potential TikTok ban in the United States, users have launched TikTokCountdown.com, a platform designed to track the time left until the ban takes effect on January 19, 2025, reports a Kazinform News Agency correspondent.

The U.S. Supreme Court has ruled that ByteDance, the Chinese parent company of TikTok, must relinquish its ownership of the app in the U.S. by this deadline. Failure to comply would result in TikTok being removed from U.S. app stores and losing access to the internet hosting services that support its operations.
If ByteDance fails to meet the January 19 deadline, TikTok will no longer be available for download in the U.S., and users will be unable to interact with new content on the platform. The Biden administration’s decision to sign the bill last week set this deadline, though the legislation allows for a 90-day extension if significant progress toward a sale is demonstrated, potentially giving TikTok up to a year to avoid a full ban.
Despite the looming ban, TikTok continues to thrive globally. As of January 2025, the platform has approximately 2.05 billion users worldwide, with projections indicating this number will rise to 2.14 billion by the end of the year. This remarkable growth underscores TikTok’s influence and enduring appeal in the global social media landscape.
TikTok has explored every avenue to prevent the ban, including court challenges and lobbying lawmakers, but its legal team acknowledges the difficulty of averting the January 19 deadline.
TikTok’s lawyer Noel Francisco recently emphasized the urgency, stating, “It is possible that come January 20th, 21st, 22nd, we might be in a different world. That’s why it makes sense to issue a preliminary injunction and buy everyone some breathing space.”
The app’s future now hinges on the Supreme Court’s final decision and potential interventions by President Biden, who could extend the deadline or propose alternative solutions.
Amid this uncertainty, internet personality and entrepreneur MrBeast, also known as Jimmy Donaldson, made headlines by offering to buy TikTok to prevent the ban. He wrote on X, formerly Twitter on Monday: “Okay fine, I’ll buy TikTok so it doesn’t get banned,” which seemed to have a joking undertone to it. While his initial tweet appeared lighthearted, a follow-up seemed more earnest, sparking speculation about his intentions and potential influence in the situation.
Adding to the drama, President-elect Trump, who initially expressed concerns about TikTok’s security risks, shifted his stance during his 2024 campaign, declaring, “I’m gonna save TikTok.” This evolving opinion could play a pivotal role in shaping the platform’s future in the U.S.
Earlier it was reported that TikTok founder Zhang Yiming topped China’s billionaires list.