TikTok Faces A Ban Sunday—Here’s What Users Can Do If The App Becomes Unavailable In The US

Forbes - Jan 17th, 2025
Open on Forbes

The U.S. Supreme Court has upheld a law that mandates either the sale or ban of TikTok within the United States, set to take effect on January 19. This law requires U.S. app stores to stop hosting TikTok, which may lead to the app being inaccessible to its 170 million American users. TikTok has announced plans to restrict access starting from the effective date, showing a pop-up message that will inform users about the ban. The company's internal communications assure employees that their positions are secure despite the uncertainty. This decision has immediate implications for TikTok content creators who rely on the app for income, as the ban would prevent them from monetizing their content.

The controversy surrounding TikTok stems from national security and data privacy concerns, particularly regarding its parent company, ByteDance, and its alleged ties to the Chinese government. While ByteDance denies these connections, the U.S. government has not fully disclosed the specific threats posed by TikTok. The federal law was signed by President Joe Biden, and although President-Elect Donald Trump initially supported the ban, he has since reversed his stance. The implications of this ban are significant, potentially affecting international relations, tech industry dynamics, and the digital livelihoods of many creators. Additionally, alternative apps like Lemon8 and Rednote could face similar restrictions under the same law.

Story submitted by Fairstory

RATING

5.2
Moderately Fair
Read with skepticism

The news story addresses a significant and timely issue—the potential ban of TikTok in the U.S.—but falls short in several key dimensions. The accuracy of the claims is questionable due to a lack of direct citations from authoritative sources, such as legal documents or official statements from the U.S. government. This undermines the overall reliability of the information presented.

The story's balance is limited, focusing predominantly on TikTok's perspective and potential user implications while providing insufficient representation of the U.S. government's viewpoint or expert opinions on the matter. This lack of diversity in perspectives reduces the comprehensiveness of the report.

Source quality is another area of concern, as the story relies on sources that may not be the most credible for legal or governmental affairs. Enhancing credibility would involve citing more authoritative outlets or experts in the field.

Transparency is limited, with the story not fully disclosing the origins of its information or potential conflicts of interest. Providing more detailed sourcing and context would significantly improve the story's transparency.

In terms of clarity, the story is generally well-structured and articulated but could benefit from clearer explanations of legal terms and actions. Overall, while the story is engaging and covers an important topic, it requires more robust sourcing and balanced representation to provide a comprehensive and reliable account.

RATING DETAILS

6
Accuracy

The news story presents a potentially significant event—the banning of TikTok in the U.S.—and claims it has been upheld by the Supreme Court. However, the accuracy of this claim could not be fully verified. The story lacks direct citations from authoritative sources like government announcements or legal documents that confirm the Supreme Court's decision or the exact timeline for the ban.

The story mentions specific plans by TikTok if the ban goes into effect, such as restricting access starting January 19 and displaying a pop-up message. This information is attributed to 'the Information,' a source that may not be widely recognized for its authority in legal matters.

Additionally, the story discusses potential actions by TikTok's leadership, but the lack of direct quotes or references to official company statements makes it difficult to confirm these claims. While the context of national security concerns is mentioned as a reason for the ban, there is no direct citation of government reports or statements that substantiate this claim.

Overall, while the story presents some plausible scenarios based on past discussions about TikTok's operations in the U.S., the lack of direct sourcing and potential changes in legal proceedings mean that readers should approach the claims with caution.

5
Balance

The story provides a somewhat one-sided view of the TikTok ban, focusing primarily on the implications for TikTok users and the company's internal communications. There is a lack of representation of the U.S. government's perspective or detailed reasons behind the decision to ban TikTok.

While the article briefly mentions bipartisan concerns over national security and data privacy, it does not delve into specific viewpoints from U.S. government officials or agencies. This omission limits the story's balance, as readers are not given a full understanding of the rationale behind the ban.

TikTok's stance is partially represented through mentions of internal memos and legal arguments, but these are not counterbalanced by detailed quotes or positions from the opposing side. Including more diverse perspectives, such as expert opinions on the legal and security implications, would enhance the story's balance.

6
Clarity

The story is generally clear in its language and structure, effectively conveying the key points about the potential TikTok ban and its implications. However, some segments could benefit from clearer explanations, especially regarding the legal aspects and the specific actions TikTok might take.

The tone of the story is mostly neutral, but there are instances where the language could be more precise. For instance, terms like 'ban' and 'restrict access' are used interchangeably, potentially confusing readers about the exact nature of the restrictions.

The structure of the story is logical, following a question-and-answer format that helps break down complex information. However, some sections could be expanded to provide more detailed explanations and context, particularly regarding the legal proceedings and the potential impact on users and content creators.

4
Source quality

The sources cited in the story, such as 'the Information' and 'the Verge,' provide some insight but are not the most authoritative on legal or governmental matters. The lack of direct references to Supreme Court documents or official statements from U.S. government agencies weakens the credibility of the claims made.

For a story of this nature, involving potential legal actions and national security concerns, it would be more reliable to include sources like legal experts, official government announcements, or statements from recognized news agencies with a strong track record in investigative journalism.

Moreover, the story's reliance on internal memos and unspecified reports leaves room for doubt about the accuracy and reliability of the information. Better sourcing would involve cross-verifying claims with multiple credible outlets or directly quoting involved parties to ensure a comprehensive understanding of the situation.

5
Transparency

The story lacks transparency in terms of clearly identifying the sources of its information and the basis for its claims. While some reports and memos are mentioned, the story does not provide links to the original documents or detailed descriptions of the methodologies used to gather the information.

Furthermore, the potential conflicts of interest or motivations behind the perspectives presented—such as TikTok's internal communications or the U.S. government's stance—are not thoroughly explored. This lack of depth hampers the reader's ability to fully understand the context and potential biases influencing the story.

To improve transparency, the story should include more explicit disclosures about the sources of its information and any affiliations that may impact the impartiality of the reporting. Providing direct access to key documents or statements would enhance the story's credibility and allow readers to verify the claims independently.