apple and Google Chinese company ByteDance removed TikTok from its app stores on Saturday night, complying with a law requiring Chinese company ByteDance to withdraw the social app or see it face an effective ban in the United States.
The Apple App Store and Google Play Store’s removal of TikTok means people in the US can no longer download the popular short video app to their devices. The app’s removal comes after the Supreme Court on Friday unanimously upheld the Protecting Americans from Controlled Apps from Foreign Adversaries Act, which President Joe Biden signed in April. TikTok said on Friday that its service would cease operations, meaning it would stop working for Americans, unless the Biden administration intervenes.
In the Apple App Store, a message saying “App is not available” appears on TikTok’s previous app installation page.
“This app is currently not available in your country or region,” the message read.
“We’re sorry, the requested URL was not found on this server,” a message on a TikTok page previously hosted on the Google Play Store said.
Some users who visited TikTok’s app and website on Saturday were greeted with a message saying: “Sorry, TikTok is unavailable right now.”
“A law has been enacted banning TikTok in the United States, and unfortunately, this means you cannot use TikTok at this time,” the notice read. “We are fortunate that President Trump has indicated that he will work with us on a solution to bring back TikTok once he takes office. Please stay tuned!”
Lemon8, another ByteDance-owned service, also displayed a notice informing users that it is not available in the US. The app has been topping the charts recently, becoming one of the most popular free apps on iOS.
“Sorry, Lemon8 is currently unavailable” Notice Countries.
TikTok discontinued its app service in the United States on Saturday.
The law requires service providers to stop supporting TikTok within the United States if ByteDance fails to implement a “qualified divestiture” of the app by Sunday. As a result, Apple, Google, and Oracle may face severe penalties for non-compliance with the law. Apple and Google previously distributed the app through their app stores while Oracle provides cloud computing services for TikTok and said in June that the law would hurt its business.
After the Supreme Court decision, TikTok CEO Shou Chew said that using TikTok is a First Amendment right and added that more than 7 million American businesses use it to make money and find customers.
Waiting for Trump
“Rest assured, we will do everything we can to ensure our platform thrives as your online home for limitless creativity and discovery, as well as a source of inspiration and joy for years to come,” Chiu said. Tik Tok video.
Chiu also thanked President-elect Donald Trump, who had previously done so he asked Supreme Court to Stop implementing the law and allowing his administration “the opportunity to pursue a political solution to the issues raised in this case.” Chu is expected to attend Trump’s inauguration in Washington on Monday, along with technology leaders from companies including… dead, AmazonAnd Apple and Google.
Trump arrived in Washington on Saturday evening. His transition team did not immediately respond to TikTok’s shutdown. Trump said on Friday that the Supreme Court’s decision was expected “and everyone should respect it.”
“My decision on TikTok will be made in the not too distant future, but I should have time to review the situation. Stay tuned!” Trump He wrote in another On his social media app Truth Social.
White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre on Saturday acknowledged TikTok’s statement that the matter would remain dark and called it a “stunt.”
Jean-Pierre said: “We have made our position clear and straightforward: the measures necessary to implement this law will fall upon the next administration.” “So TikTok and other companies should address any concerns with them.”
Trump told NBC News on Saturday that he would “most likely” give TikTok a 90-day extension to Sunday’s deadline, and that he would “probably” announce a decision on Monday.
“I think that would certainly be an option that we would consider,” Trump said in the phone interview. “The 90-day extension is something that will probably be implemented, because it is appropriate. You know, it is appropriate. We have to look at it carefully. It is a very big situation,” he added.
Artificial intelligence startup Perplexity AI on Saturday submitted a bid to acquire TikTok that would result in the AI-powered search engine being integrated with TikTok’s U.S. operations and new capital partners, CNBC reported.
Entrepreneur Frank McCourt’s internet advocacy group Project Liberty announced on January 9 that it had made an offer to buy TikTok from ByteDance on undisclosed terms. “I think we’re the only bidder” that meets the criteria needed to separate the technology from the Chinese algorithm, McCourt told CNBC on Friday.
He watches: Congress calls for extending the deadline to ban TikTok.
