On January 14, Reuters reported that TikTok intends to continue paying its U.S. employees even if the Supreme Court does not reverse a law requiring the sale of the popular short-video app in the U.S. or its potential ban. In an internal memo seen by Reuters on Tuesday, the company's leadership assured employees that their well-being is a top priority. Despite the looming January 19 deadline and the Supreme Court's recent lean towards upholding the law initiated in April, TikTok's U.S. employees were informed that their employment, salaries, benefits, and office operations will remain unaffected.
Acknowledging the uncertain situation, TikTok emphasized that its management team is diligently preparing for different outcomes while focusing on charting the company's course ahead. The company reassured its employees that the law primarily impacts the U.S. user experience and does not directly affect the entities employing them. TikTok pledged to navigate the circumstances prudently to safeguard both its employees and the vast user base of over 170 million in the United States.
Should the court fail to halt the law by the upcoming Sunday, new TikTok downloads on Apple and Google app stores would be restricted, although existing users could temporarily retain access. As support from other entities would be restricted, the platform's functionalities would gradually decline until operational discontinuity.