SAN FRANCISCO — TikTok, often perceived as a staple of the internet, now faces uncertainty regarding its future amid pressures surrounding ownership and security concerns. Since its 2017 merger with Musical.ly, TikTok has evolved from a modest teen-focused application into a social media phenomenon with vast global influence. However, U.S. officials have labeled it a potential national security risk, adding a layer of complexity to its operations in America.
On April 24, President Joe Biden enacted a law mandating that TikTok’s parent company, ByteDance, divest its U.S. operations within a year or cease activities altogether. In response, TikTok and ByteDance initiated legal action against the U.S. government, arguing that the alleged security threats were exaggerated and that the legislation infringed upon First Amendment rights. Recently, the Supreme Court upheld the federal law that would effectively ban TikTok on January 19 unless ownership changes hands.
The trajectory of TikTok can be traced back to the following key events: In March 2012, entrepreneur Zhang Yiming founded ByteDance in China, launching its first major success, Toutiao, a personalized news platform. A few years later, in July 2014, Alex Zhu founded Musical.ly in China, which gained significant traction with its short lipsync videos. By July 2015, the app reached the top spot in the Apple App Store due to a redesign that increased its visibility.
In 2016, ByteDance introduced Douyin, a video-sharing application for the Chinese market, which would later inspire TikTok targeted at international users. In November 2017, ByteDance acquired Musical.ly for $1 billion, culminating in a merger with TikTok nine months later. This merger allowed users to post a diverse range of content, from dance routines to cooking videos, facilitated by a binge-friendly algorithm.
The year 2019 marked significant milestones for the platform. Rapper Lil Nas X’s song “Old Town Road” went viral on TikTok, leading to an incredible 17-week run atop the Billboard Hot 100. Yet, this same year brought federal scrutiny as TikTok faced fines over violations of U.S. child-privacy laws. By September, reports revealed TikTok’s selective moderation regarding politically sensitive content relating to China.
As U.S. politicians began voicing concerns about TikTok’s influence, investigations into its operations commenced. In December 2019, the Pentagon urged military personnel to delete the application as it suspiciously became the second most downloaded app globally. The situation escalated in the following year, as privacy allegations persisted, leading to TikTok hiring former Disney executive Kevin Mayer as CEO, who resigned shortly after.
Fueled by rising tensions between the U.S. and China, President Trump considered banning TikTok in August 2020. Vague executive orders pursued a forced sale of TikTok’s U.S. operations, but the planned mergers with tech giants like Microsoft and Oracle fell through. After Joe Biden’s election, multiple avenues regarding TikTok’s fate were postponed.
By September 2021, TikTok reported over one billion active users. However, concerns about harmful content spread among young users persisted, prompting the platform to institute new guidelines. As TikTok solidified its position as the most popular app globally, reports of internal access to nonpublic user data by ByteDance employees raised alarms among U.S. officials. The Federal Bureau of Investigation and other agencies expressed fears regarding potential user surveillance by the Chinese government.
In early 2023, the White House ordered federal agencies to erase TikTok from government devices, while TikTok’s CEO defended the platform at a lengthy congressional inquiry. Recent legislative efforts proposed a ban or mandated sale of TikTok as concerns heightened over its impact and ownership. TikTok rallied its creators in Washington, urging lawmakers to reconsider the drastic measures.
By April 2024, the House passed a ban-or-sell bill, followed by the Senate, leading to President Biden’s signature. TikTok and ByteDance responded with legal action, contesting the constitutionality of the law. Later, former President Trump joined TikTok to post campaign content, while Vice President Kamala Harris did the same, signaling ongoing political engagement with the platform.
As 2024 concluded, a federal appeals court affirmed the law potentially leading to a ban on TikTok. The situation culminated in early 2025, when the Supreme Court unanimously upheld the ban, citing national security risks overshadowing First Amendment concerns. A deadline has been established for January 19, 2025, marking a pivotal moment for TikTok’s presence in the United States.
