TikTok users across the United States expressed shock and frustration on Wednesday after news broke that ByteDance, the Chinese owner of the popular platform, plans to shut down the app for its 170 million American users by Sunday.

The announcement has sparked widespread disappointment among creators and viewers who had hoped TikTok might find a way to circumvent the US ban, enacted into law in 2023.

“This is very discouraging and very sad,” said Joonsuk Shin, a 28-year-old research manager and content creator based in New York, reacting to the news of ByteDance’s decision to end the fight.

Many TikTok users are directing their frustration toward competing platforms like Instagram, Facebook (owned by Meta), and X (formerly Twitter, owned by Elon Musk).

“We all need to delete our Facebook, X, and Instagram accounts that same day,” one user urged in response to the shutdown announcement.

ByteDance faces a January 19 deadline to divest TikTok’s US operations or comply with a nationwide ban. The ban stems from concerns among lawmakers that the Chinese government could compel ByteDance to share American user data, a claim the company has consistently denied.

TikTok and ByteDance have challenged the law in court, arguing that it violates First Amendment protections against government-imposed restrictions on free speech. However, unless the Supreme Court intervenes to halt the ban, TikTok users attempting to access the app on Sunday will be redirected to a website providing details about the shutdown.

The impending closure marks a significant moment in the ongoing debate over digital privacy, national security, and freedom of expression.