Unless there is a last-minute intervention, TikTok will become inaccessible to 170 million users in the U.S. soon.

According to a federal law signed by President Joe Biden last spring, TikTok’s parent company, ByteDance, has until Sunday to sell the platform. Failure to do so will lead to a ban in the U.S., prohibiting American internet services and app stores from distributing the app. This legislative action was taken due to national security concerns, as some officials fear that ByteDance might be sharing user data with the Chinese government.

Last week, the Supreme Court reviewed arguments from TikTok, which asserts that the ban would violate the First Amendment rights of Americans. The platform is urging the Supreme Court to pause the enforcement of the ban. As of Thursday morning, a decision from SCOTUS has not yet been made public.

President-elect Donald Trump is set to take office on January 20, the day following the planned ban. While he had previously supported a ban on TikTok, Trump recently requested SCOTUS to delay the deadline to allow his new administration to seek a political solution regarding the case’s issues.

The Washington Post reported on Wednesday that Trump is contemplating an executive order to suspend the ban for 60 to 90 days, which YSL News is investigating further.

As the potential ban approaches, here’s what you should understand about the situation, how it might affect users, and who is interested in acquiring the platform.

Is TikTok going to shut down on Sunday?

Reports indicate that TikTok is readying itself to shut down the app on Sunday if the ban goes into effect, as discussed by the company on Friday.

What will the Supreme Court’s ruling mean?

Should the Supreme Court uphold the current law, ByteDance will have until Sunday to sell its American assets related to TikTok.

During the hearing, Justice Samuel Alito inquired if the court could temporarily block the legislation or delay its implementation.

U.S. Solicitor General Elizabeth Prelogar, who is defending the ban on behalf of the Biden administration, advised against a temporary hold unless TikTok is likely to succeed in its First Amendment argument. She suggested that whether to halt operations administratively was up to the justices based on their time frames for deliberation.

When can we expect a decision from the Supreme Court?

The Supreme Court may issue its ruling at any time, as there is no specific deadline for their decision.

What impact would the ban have on users?

If the ban commences on Sunday, it will be illegal for U.S. internet providers and app stores to disseminate TikTok.

Users who have previously downloaded the app will still be able to access it, but without updates, it is expected to become less functional over time. Additionally, TikTok will not be available via U.S.-based internet services.

Is there a way to bypass the ban?

It’s unclear how the ban will be enforced, but some content creators are informing others about the use of virtual private networks (VPNs), which can obscure users’ locations. This could allow users to access TikTok by masking their location outside of the U.S.

Nonetheless, Dan York, a senior adviser to the Internet Society, previously mentioned that there could be instances where VPNs might be ineffective. Popular VPN services could be blocked, and trying to connect through foreign locations might result in slower or unstable access.

York advised users to conduct thorough research before opting for VPN services, as some companies could exploit new users’ inexperience.

Who is interested in acquiring TikTok?

Recently, several individuals and organizations have shown interest in taking over the platform.

One noteworthy contender, Project Liberty—headed by billionaire Frank McCourt—announced last week that it has formally offered to buy TikTok’s U.S. assets from ByteDance. Project Liberty’s President Tomicah Tillemann stated that they will not reveal the bid amount publicly.

McCourt, who previously owned the Los Angeles Dodgers, disclosed last month that Project Liberty has received verbal commitments of as much as $20 billion for the acquisition. “Shark Tank” investor Kevin O’Leary reported last week that he is joining Project Liberty in this venture.

If Project Liberty successfully acquires TikTok, the purchase would only encompass the U.S. assets, excluding the algorithm, which China considers its intellectual property.

Other notable figures expressing interest in TikTok include Elon Musk, CEO of Tesla and SpaceX; popular YouTuber James “Jimmy” Donaldson, known as MrBeast; former Activision CEO Bobby Kotick; Walmart’s CEO Doug McMillon; and Microsoft as an entity.

(This story has been updated to include new information.)

Greta Cross is a national trending reporter. Follow her on X and Instagram @gretalcross.