Payam Javan: TikTok has announced plans to cease operations in the United States starting Sunday unless President Joe Biden provides clear assurances that its services can continue. The warning follows mounting pressure on TikTok’s parent company, ByteDance, over security concerns and alleged ties to the Chinese government. ByteDance is required to divest its ownership of TikTok by January 2025 under a law signed during the Trump administration. TikTok claims that Biden’s administration and the Department of Justice have failed to guarantee continued access to the app’s service providers, leaving the platform vulnerable to an effective shutdown.

The uncertainty has left millions of TikTok’s American users, including content creators and small businesses, in limbo. Many rely on the platform for income and audience engagement. Experts warn that banning TikTok could disrupt the digital economy and push users to alternative platforms, while ByteDance insists it remains committed to resolving the situation. Meanwhile, the Biden administration has deferred the decision to President-elect Trump, who is set to assume office on Monday and has previously expressed interest in finding a solution to the TikTok controversy.