You’ve probably seen the headlines or heard a friend panic about it: is TikTok getting banned in US? It feels like we've been asking this since forever. Honestly, for the last year, it’s been a total rollercoaster. One day you're scrolling through "Get Ready With Me" videos, and the next, there’s a news alert saying the app is officially illegal. But here we are in early 2026, and the app is still very much alive on your phone.
So, what's actually happening?
The short answer is that TikTok is currently in the middle of a massive, messy corporate divorce. Technically, a law called the Protecting Americans from Foreign Adversary Controlled Applications Act (PAFACAA) already "banned" the app back in January 2025. But thanks to a series of last-minute saves and executive orders from the Trump administration, the actual shutdown never really hit the way people expected. Instead of a "ban," we got a massive extension for a deal that’s supposed to close any day now.
The Secret Deal: Is TikTok Getting Banned in US or Just Changing Owners?
The drama reached a fever pitch in late 2025. For months, everyone thought December 16 was the absolute end of the road. But then, President Trump issued yet another executive order. This pushed the enforcement deadline to January 23, 2026. He basically said a "qualified divestiture" plan was on his desk and it looked good enough to keep the lights on.
This deal isn't a simple sale where someone just hands over a check. It’s more like a complex joint venture. Here is the breakdown of who is reportedly getting a piece of the pie:
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- Oracle, Silver Lake, and MGX are expected to own about 15% each.
- Existing ByteDance investors (including American ones) would keep around 30%.
- ByteDance itself is expected to keep less than 20% to satisfy the law.
- A new entity called TikTok USDS Joint Venture LLC is being formed to run the American side of things.
The goal is to satisfy the U.S. government’s concern that China has too much control over the algorithm. The new plan involves "retraining" the recommendation engine specifically on American data so it’s "independent" from the global version. Whether that actually changes your "For You" page is still a big question mark.
Why the Supreme Court Said Yes to the Law
Before all this deal-making, TikTok tried to fight the law in court. They argued that a ban violates the First Amendment rights of 170 million Americans. However, in January 2025, the Supreme Court issued a major ruling in TikTok v. Garland.
The court didn't see it as a speech issue. Instead, they ruled that the government has the right to regulate who controls a platform if it’s a national security risk. They basically said the law wasn't about what people were saying on TikTok, but about the "foreign adversary" (ByteDance) owning the pipes that deliver that speech. That ruling essentially gave the government a green light to pull the plug if a deal wasn't reached.
The January 2026 Reality Check
As of right now, TikTok workers are literally being split into two groups. According to internal memos leaked just this week, employees who handle global stuff like "TT Commerce" are staying with ByteDance. Meanwhile, the people working on data security and the algorithm are moving over to the new U.S.-based joint venture.
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It’s kind of wild. One office, two different companies.
The deal is reportedly set to wrap up by January 22, 2026. That is just one day before the current "no enforcement" order expires. If the paperwork isn't signed by then, we could technically see the app stores (Apple and Google) forced to stop providing updates. But given how many times this has been delayed, most experts think the deal will go through or get another short extension.
What Happens if You Already Have the App?
If a ban did finally happen, it wouldn't make the app disappear from your phone overnight. It’s not like a "kill switch." Instead, it’s a "death by a thousand cuts."
Apple and Google would be prohibited from letting you update the app. Eventually, bugs wouldn't get fixed. New features wouldn't arrive. Security vulnerabilities would stack up. Slowly, the app would just stop working or become too glitchy to use. But we aren't there yet. Because the government and the new buyers are so deep into negotiations, they’re doing everything to avoid that "nuclear" option.
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Why This Still Matters for Creators and Businesses
Even though the app is still here, the "is TikTok getting banned in US" question has changed how people use it. Brands have started hedging their bets. You've probably noticed your favorite creators pushing their YouTube Shorts or Instagram Reels way harder lately.
The uncertainty is expensive. In late 2025, analysts estimated TikTok’s U.S. business was worth over $50 billion, but reports suggest the current "forced" deal is closer to **$14 billion**. That's a huge haircut. It shows that even if the app stays, the political drama has seriously damaged its market value.
Actionable Steps for TikTok Users
If you’re worried about losing your account or your content, don't wait for the January 23 deadline to act. Here is what you should do right now:
- Download your data: Use the "Download your data" tool in the TikTok settings. It gives you a file of all your videos and comments.
- Cross-post your content: Use tools to automatically post your TikToks to Reels and YouTube Shorts.
- Link your bio: Make sure your "Link in Bio" points to an email list or a platform you actually own.
- Watch the January 22nd news: That is the day we will find out if the "TikTok USDS" deal is officially a go.
The drama isn't over, but for the first time in years, it looks like a solution—even a messy one—is finally on the table. We’re moving from "Will it be banned?" to "Who actually owns this thing?" And for most of us, that means we can keep scrolling for now.