Yes, sadly you read that headline correctly. In just a few short days — January 19, to be specific — our beloved TikTok could change dramatically, as the US government prepares to ban the social media platform.

It's all because TikTok is owned by Chinese parent company ByteDance. In short, President Joe Biden introduced a law that required ByteDance to sell the app to an American company, or cease operating in the country entirely, over fears that the Chinese government could siphon data from the app's 170 million US users.

As avid TikTok users will know, losing US users would mean losing hundreds of saved videos, from viral memes to cleaning hacks, and drastically altering your carefully curated FYP algorithm. So, with just over 72 hours until the prospective ban comes into force, here's how to prepare.

Save your favourite videos

While it's not clear exactly what a ban would look like, it's highly likely that American accounts could be removed from TikTok entirely — taking all their content with them.  From Emily Mariko's salmon rice bowl, to Cassandra Bowman's prank calls (IYKYK), all is not lost when it comes to your favourite videos.

If your favourite creator has enabled downloads, simply open the video you want to save, tap the 'share' icon, and click download. If this doesn't appear, there are plenty of third-party apps that function in the same way, like SnapTik. Simply copy the video URL into the app, and the download will begin. If all else fails, screen recording the video on your iPhone is also always an option.

Follow creators on other social media platforms

While we'll always have a soft spot for TikTok, it's true that most creators have at least one other social media platform. Who knows, perhaps Instagram reels could be the new TikTok FYP?

Turn to other platforms for niche topics

Arguably our favourite thing about TikTok is its ability to spotlight videos we didn't know we needed. From parenting hacks to cleaning tips, it's hard to scroll your FYP without happening upon something unusually useful. You can find similar community-based tips on sites like Reddit, where users share and exchange their experiences.

Download RedNote

Many American TikTokers have already made the move to a new app: RedNote. It's somewhat of an act of protest, with the app in question a popular Chinese social media platform, which operates similarly to TikTok.

But if you want to stay on top of the next viral moment, it might be worth making a RedNote account — and perhaps learning some Mandarin, while you're at it.

Feature image via Pinterest.