TikTok goes offline in U.S., incoming Trump signals possible reprieve
Popular Chinese social media platform, TikTok, has ceased functioning in the United States and vanished from Apple and Google app stores as a law mandating the app’s shutdown took effect Sunday.
TikTok, owned by China’s ByteDance, informed users attempting to access the app around 10:45 p.m. ET (0345 GMT): “A law banning TikTok has been enacted in the U.S. Unfortunately, that means you can’t use TikTok for now. We are fortunate that President Trump has indicated that he will work with us on a solution to reinstate TikTok once he takes office. Please stay tuned.”
Other ByteDance apps, including the video editing platform CapCut and lifestyle app Lemon8, also went offline and were unavailable in U.S. app stores as of late Saturday.
Incoming President Donald Trump suggested earlier in the day that he might issue a 90-day reprieve after assuming office on Monday, describing the extension as “appropriate” and indicating he would announce his decision shortly thereafter.
Though it was unclear if any U.S. users could still access TikTok, many reported that the app was non-functional. Attempts to use its web application returned the same message stating the service was no longer available.
The shutdown follows a Supreme Court ruling upholding a law requiring TikTok to either sever ties with its China-based parent company or halt its U.S. operations.
TikTok had warned on Friday that it would go dark unless the Biden administration offered assurances that tech giants like Apple and Google would not face enforcement actions tied to the ban.
Concerns over TikTok’s links to ByteDance and its perceived threat to U.S. national security underpinned the law passed last year.
