The dreaded day of mourning that every marketer (and if not every single one, then likely 95% of ‘em) hoped, prayed, and wished wouldn’t come, well, actually did. Unfortunately, on Sunday, January 19th, TikTok will be officially banned in the United States.
That’s right. It’s time to start making some arrangements (maybe not the funeral kind … but if you feel like that’s necessary, I totally understand). However, I would also use this time to lock in, save any (or all) unposted drafts to your camera roll, bid your followers adieu, and start thinking about what’s next for your social media marketing strategy.
But before you say sayonara for good, here’s what you need to know about how we got here, what will actually happen to any living content on the former Music.ly platform, and where to go next as the age of short-form video takes a huge hit to virality, distribution, and brand-building.
Table of Contents:
Your first thought? Probably WTF (lowkey me too). I assume your second thought is, “How and when did we get here?”
Well, for starters, you’re asking all the right questions. Let’s rewind for a second and talk about how we got here to begin with. Slowly.
I’m a massive fan of timelines for several reasons, so here’s a brief overview of when talks of a TikTok ban even began and how they eventually got us here:
During oral arguments on January 10th, 2025, TikTok’s attorney, Noel Francisco, argued that the imposed ban violates the First Amendment.
As he put it, “If the First Amendment means anything, it means the government cannot restrict speech in order to protect us from speech.”
He added, “The government has no valid interest in preventing foreign propaganda … The government’s real target, rather, is the speech itself, its fear that Americans, even if fully informed, could be persuaded by Chinese misinformation. That, however, is a decision that the First Amendment leaves to the people.”
Francisco concluded: “[The ban] is also grossly under-inclusive and ignores the most obvious less restrictive alternative: simply banning TikTok, Incorporated, from sharing any sensitive user data with anyone.”
Beyond TikTok’s argument that the ban violates freedom of speech, Francisco also underlined a few other key points:
On that same Friday in January, U.S. justices seemed skeptical of TikTok’s arguments. They questioned how First Amendment rights are being implicated when the law explicitly targets a foreign-owned company (touche).
Here’s how Chief Justice John Roberts explained it: “Congress is fine with the [freedom of] expression. They’re not fine with a foreign adversary, as they’ve determined it is, gathering all this information about the 170 million people who use TikTok.”
In other words: The justices are just fine with us embarrassing ourselves with TikTok dances, filming 10-minute-long GRWM content, and endlessly scrolling for that one ‘life-changing’ pasta recipe.
What they’re not fine with is the Chinese government peeking at our data while we do it.
Roberts continued to point out that Congress previously found ByteDance to be “subject to Chinese laws that require it to assist or cooperate with the Chinese government’s intelligence work.”
Justice Elena Kagan also drew a parallel to the concerns over the Soviet Union in the 20th century, stating: “If Congress had said, ‘Well, it’s very nice, we can have the Communist Party U.S.A, but it has to divest, it has to completely divorce itself from the Comintern and from any international ties that it has,’ do you think that that would have been absolutely fine?”
tNow that we’re up to speed, I can discuss where we stand today.
Alright. I’ve gone through everything top to bottom. Next, I’ll answer a few of the internet’s most FAQs of the last 24 hours, including what to do with your own TikTok account once TikTok goes dark on the 19th:
On Truth Social, Donald Trump recently asked, “Why would I get rid of TikTok?” with a graphic displaying his 36 billion views of #trump and 24 million average views per post on @realdonaldtrump.
Many are of the mindset that Trump can undo the ban once he is inaugurated, but his inauguration day is the day after the TikTok ban goes into effect.
To my knowledge, here’s what he could do once he’s in office:
Beyond that, there isn’t too much he can do if the Supreme Court doesn’t repeal the notion on its own.
The official ruling only requires TikTok to be removed from app stores for new downloads. Still, according to two sources familiar with TikTok’s plans, a recently released report from The Information said that the app will go dark rather than allow people to continue using it.
However, another person with knowledge of the company’s planning told NBC News that TikTok going dark is “a last resort.”
But even if TikTok does allow the app to continue to be accessible for those who’ve already downloaded it, it will be pretty much impossible to access TikTok updates, which would eventually make the app unusable.
Also, not to be a buzzkill, but there’s the not-so-small problem of app updates, which are typically helpful for security measures. Without regular updates, your TikTok will become increasingly susceptible to hackers. Yikes.
More than likely, any misplaced TikTokers will turn to Instagram Reels or YouTube Shorts, which both mimic similar user behavior. However, there’s also been a ton of Gen Z-revolt buzz around folks relocating to RedNote (also known as Xiaohongshu), another Chinese-owned app that’s, as someone on my FYP described it, “TikTok, Instagram, and Depop all in one.” Although the potential of starting anew on RedNote has seemed promising and exciting for some, other takes I’ve seen via timelines have aligned with a sentiment of being “one and done” with downloading any substitute platforms.
Also, to be clear: Short-form videos aren’t going away. Your team will now just need to re-route on how you can invest in short-term vids on other platforms.
While change can be scary, it’s important to remember — we’ll all be okay (if I could hold your hand while saying this, I would). We’ve actually survived the deaths of many social media spaces before TikTok was even a thing.
As Leanne Elliott, co-host of the Truth, Lies and Work podcast, told me: “When it comes to platforms like TikTok, it’s important to remember that people and communities are far more resilient than the apps they use. Platforms come and go. Just think of MySpace, Vine, or even the way Facebook isn’t quite what it once was.”
She continued, “What stays constant is our need for connection and shared experiences. If TikTok disappears, creators and their audiences will move on together. The relationships don’t vanish; they just find a new home.”
She also bets that people will shift to YouTube Shorts, Instagram, and (drum roll, please…) LinkedIn. In fact, folks are already making the switch.
HubSpot’s State of Marketing Report shared that 14% of B2B companies will explore LinkedIn as a space to take their creator, brand, and social strategies to new heights.
Additionally, Elliott pointed out, “[LinkedIn’s] crying out for fresh, creative content, especially for those looking to build a professional edge. Over the next few years, LinkedIn could become a real hot spot for B2B creators who get in now.”
It’s also important to remember that TikTok has never been a major lead driver for most large-scale businesses. HubSpot’s State of Marketing Report also revealed that only 10% of B2C companies planned to invest in TikTok for 2025, while 8% of B2B companies planned to do the same. So, while it’s been fun to hop aboard the ‘Tok trends, your business likely won’t suffer too greatly from the ban.
Plus, as Louis ‘Fonzi’ Camejo, host of the Content is Profit podcast, told me: “I personally don’t mind the ban in terms of marketing. TikTok is not a channel that has added to our listenership, so we haven’t invested time or resources in it. We noticed that even though some clips have good reach, there wasn’t too much interest from the user to move off the platform.”
Since TikTok will likely be shutting its services down entirely, here’s what I suggest you do:
Before it’s too late, download your account data! You can do this in a few short steps; here’s how I’ll be going about it (with screenshots):
Once you get to this area, you’ll be able to put in a request for what data you download, including your activity, direct messages, and watch history. I’ve just done this, so I’m not sure how long the request takes to approve, but I’m hopeful it’ll be before the 19th hits.
If you have an unshared video (or several) that you wish you could save without a watermark, post it! Luckily, if you really don’t want the world to see it, you have two fabulous options:
Once you’ve done this, you should be able to save this video to your camera roll without the pesky TikTok watermark that appears over most videos. I find this hack perfect for repurposing the same content on other platforms (when the time comes).
If you’re anything like me, you may or may not have made some TikTok Shop purchases last month. To ensure that you can either a) get a refund if certain businesses choose not to continue their sales on another platform or b) follow up about your order with a business once TikTok is formally shut down, download all of your receipts! Here’s a step-by-step tutorial on how to do that:
Before closing the shop, tell your followers where you’ll be and where they can find your content. Wherever you go next, you want to ensure any loyal customers and brand fans can quickly and easily get to you.
Though TikTok could be gone for good, it’s fair to say that things were super fun while they lasted. From viral dance crazes and quirky life hacks to heartfelt stories and niche communities, TikTok brought people together in a way no other platform quite has.
As we wave goodbye — or maybe just see you later — to this cultural phenomenon, there’s still plenty to look forward to. Creativity doesn’t fade with a platform; it evolves, finding new ways to flourish and thrive. Whether it’s migrating to a different app, building on ideas sparked by TikTok, or simply holding on to the fun memories, the spirit of the platform lives on in its users.
So, here’s to the countless laughs, unforgettable moments, and creative chaos that made TikTok the internet’s happy place. The curtain may be closing, but the show will surely go on.
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