TikTok is ‘planning for various scenarios’ ahead of possible US ban

Illustration by Alex Castro / The Verge TikTok says that its executives are “planning for various scenarios” ahead of the Supreme Court likely upholding a US ban of the app. In an internal memo obtained by The Verge, employees were told that the company is “continuing to plan the way forward” ahead of the Supreme Court’s imminent decision, which is expected as soon as Wednesday, January 15th. “We know it’s unsettling to not know exactly what happens next,” reads the memo, which notes that “our offices will remain open” regardless of what happens to the app over the next several days. “The bill is not written in a way that impacts the entities through which you are employed, only the US user experience [of TikTok],” according to the memo. Inside TikTok, the mood is grim. One source describes the situation as “definitely stressful,” while another notes that even the employees who have been working there since the first ban attempt now “seem rattled.” The Chinese government, which has the final say on any sale of TikTok, is reportedly considering allowing Elon Musk to buy the app. Frank McCourt, a billionaire real estate and former owned of the LA Dodgers, has also lined up a proposal to buy the app’s US operations.... Read the full story at The Verge.

Jan 15, 2025 - 00:39

TikTok is ‘planning for various scenarios’ ahead of possible US ban

Illustration by Alex Castro / The Verge

TikTok says that its executives are “planning for various scenarios” ahead of the Supreme Court likely upholding a US ban of the app.

In an internal memo obtained by The Verge, employees were told that the company is “continuing to plan the way forward” ahead of the Supreme Court’s imminent decision, which is expected as soon as Wednesday, January 15th.

“We know it’s unsettling to not know exactly what happens next,” reads the memo, which notes that “our offices will remain open” regardless of what happens to the app over the next several days. “The bill is not written in a way that impacts the entities through which you are employed, only the US user experience [of TikTok],” according to the memo.

Inside TikTok, the mood is grim. One source describes the situation as “definitely stressful,” while another notes that even the employees who have been working there since the first ban attempt now “seem rattled.”

The Chinese government, which has the final say on any sale of TikTok, is reportedly considering allowing Elon Musk to buy the app. Frank McCourt, a billionaire real estate and former owned of the LA Dodgers, has also lined up a proposal to buy the app’s US operations....

Read the full story at The Verge.