Congress has ordered Apple and Google to prepare for TikTok's removal from U.S. app stores by January 19, following a federal appeals court decision upholding legislation requiring ByteDance to divest TikTok or face a ban.

Key Points:

• Representatives John Moolenaar (R) and Raja Krishnamoorthi (D) have urged TikTok CEO Shou Zi Chew to sell the platform
• ByteDance and TikTok filed an emergency request to temporarily block the law pending Supreme Court review
• The Department of Justice clarified that existing users can continue using TikTok, but app store restrictions will eventually make it "unworkable"
• TikTok warns that without court intervention, the app will disappear from stores on January 19 and become "totally unusable" for half the country

National Security Concerns:

Senator Josh Hawley emphasized that ByteDance's oversight by Beijing remains the core issue, stating the law "leaves no wiggle room." However, former President Trump, who previously supported a ban, has recently opposed it, citing concerns about empowering Meta-owned platforms.

The ban would not immediately affect current users but would prevent new downloads and updates, eventually rendering the app non-functional through lack of support services and maintenance.

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