Is TikTok actually getting banned?

The Supreme Court heard arguments last week on a law that would ban TikTok in the U.S. The court could rule on the case as soon as this week.

Is TikTok getting banned?

What we know: The popular social media platform has been actively defending their ownership of the app before the Supreme Court. The Associated Press reports TikTok's parent company is based in China, which has sparked some potential national security threats for the U.S. government. 

According to government officials, Chinese authorities could hand over sensitive data on the huge number of Americans who use it or could influence the spread of information on the platform.

MORE | Rednote, Lemon8: What to know about the possible alternatives to TikTok

The law will take effect on Jan. 19, unless the court steps in before then.

Typically, the Supreme Court can take several months to announce decisions, but this case is expected to be decided in the next few days.

President-elect Donald Trump has asked the U.S. Supreme Court to delay enforcement of TikTok’s impending ban, arguing that his incoming administration is uniquely positioned to resolve the ongoing dispute between the app’s Chinese ownership and U.S. national security concerns.

What's next?

What's next:

After hearing oral arguments on January 10, the Supreme Court seems likely to uphold a law to ban TikTok. 

If TikTok isn't sold to an approved buyer, according to the Associated Press, the app would be prohibited by federal law from being offered in digital stores. However, users who already have the app will still have access to it, although updates will no longer be available. 

With the possible end of TikTok, other apps have gained some new popularity. 

Lemon8, also owned by TikTok’s parent company ByteDance, is a emerging lifestyle app that allows users to post pictures and short-form videos. 

Some TikTok users have quickly found interest in the Chinese social media app Xiaohongshu in protest of the looming ban. This app appears to be the most similar to TikTok. Xiaohongshu, which in English means "Little Red Book," combines e-commerce and short-form videos.

Will TikTok shut down?

Big picture view:

According to an article published by The Information, TikTok plans to shut down on Sunday, January 19. This is the original date where the ban would go into effect. Read the full statement below:

TikTok plans to shut off its app for U.S. users on Sunday, the day a federal law will ban the app, unless the Supreme Court intervenes to block the ban, according to two people familiar with TikTok’s plans. Abruptly switching off the app, rather than allowing people who have already downloaded it to continue using it, will bring home the impact of the ban to all TikTok’s users.

Under the plan, people attempting to open the TikTok app will instead see a pop-up message directing them to a website with information about the ban, one of the people said. TikTok plans to give users the option to download all their data so they can take a record of their personal information with them, the person said.