What is TikTok? A bottomless pit of cat videos and dance tutorials, certainly. But it is also a tool to gain access to the brains of 170mn American internet users. That makes its fate a matter of great interest for rivals.
US Supreme Court judges are deliberating whether to uphold a law that forces the short-form video app’s Chinese owner ByteDance to divest or shut down TikTok by January 19. The ban focuses on the theory that China might use the app to manipulate US users. The company’s lawyers argue TikTok’s right to free speech is being unduly squashed.
If the law is allowed to run its course, one potential outcome is that TikTok goes “dark” in the US. This would probably happen over time, as users stopped getting app updates.