Experts reveal what will happen to the TikTok app on your phone once it's banned in the US

The deadline for TikTok being potentially banned in the US is looming.

Last year, President Joe Biden warned that the popular video-sharing platform could be banned in the country amid concerns over ByteDance, the Chinese firm that owns TikTok.

Biden then signed a bill in April 2024 that gave ByteDance 270 days to sell the app or have it banned in the US.

There's since been offers to buy TikTok but the Chinese-owned company is yet to budge.

The deadline for ByteDance to sell is January 19 - just a matter of days away.

As the date gets closer, many have been left with questions about what's next for the app if a sale fails to go through.

With this in mind, tech experts have weighed in on the matter and shared their predictions for TikTok's future.

TikTok could be banned in the US by the end of the month (CFOTO/Future Publishing via Getty Images)

What will happen to the TikTok app on your phone if it gets banned?

After January 19, if you're in the US and haven't got the app already on your phone it's unlikely you'll be able to download it as it'll be pulled from stores like Google and Apple under the Protecting Americans from Foreign Adversary Controlled Applications Act.

For those who have the app prior to the ban, it's expected that it will eventually 'go dark'.

Timothy Edgar, a professor of cybersecurity at Brown University, told CBS: "They will get a notice that says, 'This service is not available in your country.'

"That's most likely what will happen based on what we've seen in other countries that have banned certain platforms.

"This generation may be in for a very rude awakening if the law goes into effect and they find a major social media platform that they came to rely on as creators, or just users, is suddenly not available."

It seems unlikely that ByteDance will sell up (Thomas Fuller/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images)

Qi Liao, a professor of computer and network security at Central Michigan University, also weighed in and suggested that TikTok would eventually become 'obsolete' because, even if you can still access the app, you won't be able to download any updates.

"Various issues could arise because TikTok may introduce new features or security patches, and the app in the US will have a sluggish performance as well as security issues. So eventually TikTok users will probably stop using the vulnerable version," Liao added.

Will I be able to access TikTok through a VPN?

Some might be tempted to download a VPN (virtual private network) to still be able to access TikTok, but Eva Galperin, director of cybersecurity at the Electronic Frontier Foundation, has said doing this comes with its risks as 'a lot of free VPNs make money by selling user data'.

"I would advise people to be very careful about the VPN they choose," she added.

As the ban continues to loom, TikTok users have been rushing to a new app, RedNote; another short-form video app also from China.