TikTok is ‘planning for various scenarios’ ahead of possible US ban

TikTok’s executives are “planning for various scenarios” ahead of the Supreme Court likely upholding a US ban of the app.

In an internal memo obtained by The Verge, employees were told that the company is “continuing to plan the way forward” ahead of the court’s imminent decision, which is expected as soon as Wednesday, January 15th.

“We know it’s unsettling to not know exactly what happens next,” reads the memo, which notes that TikTok’s offices will stay open regardless of what happens to the app over the next several days. “The bill is not written in a way that impacts the entities through which you are employed, only the US user experience [of TikTok],” according to the memo.

Inside TikTok, the mood is grim. One source describes the situation as “definitely stressful,” while another notes that even the employees who survived the first US ban attempt now “seem rattled.”

The Chinese government, which has the final say on any sale of TikTok, is reportedly considering allowing Elon Musk to buy the app. Frank McCourt, a billionaire real estate developer and former owner of the Los Angeles Dodgers, has also floated a proposal to buy the app’s US operations. Shark Tank star Kevin O’Leary recently signed onto McCourt’s proposal, dubbed Project Liberty, and met with President-elect Donald Trump at Mar-a-Lago.

Trump has said that he wants to save TikTok from a ban by negotiating some kind of deal. However, the ban is currently set to go into effect one day before his inauguration — a situation that creates the possibility of TikTok still going offline.

You can read TikTok’s full Tuesday memo to employees below:

On behalf of our HR teams, I want to acknowledge the resilience and dedication you have continued to demonstrate, especially over the past few months as we have pursued our legal challenge of the TikTok ban in the US. As we await the decision by the US Supreme Court ahead of January 19, we know you have a lot of questions and wish we could provide a clear roadmap of next steps. You have already shown great patience and commitment and that will be incredibly important in the days ahead. We know it’s unsettling to not know exactly what happens next.

Our leadership team remains laser focused on planning for various scenarios and continuing to plan the way forward. As there continues to be noise of on-going media speculation, please rest assured we will communicate any facts to our employees firsthand through this channel as details solidify.

I cannot emphasize enough that your wellbeing is a top priority and so most importantly, I want to reinforce that as employees in the US, your employment, pay, and benefits are secure, and our offices will remain open, even if this situation hasn’t been resolved before the January 19 deadline. The bill is not written in a way that impacts the entities through which you are employed, only the US user experience. We are part of a global company with over a billion users. Together, we will continue to navigate this situation to protect you and our community of 170+ million US users.