The switch has flipped on the US TikTok ban. The TikTok app has stopped working and was removed from the App Store and Google Play on Saturday evening, just hours before an expected January 19 ban goes into effect.
Instead, people who have previously installed the app are greeted with a pop-up. “Sorry, TikTok is currently unavailable,” the message read. “A law has been enacted banning TikTok in the United States, and unfortunately, this means you cannot use TikTok at this time. We are fortunate that President Trump has indicated that he will work with us on a solution to bring TikTok back once he is in office. Please stay tuned.”
The notification gives you the option to close the app or “Learn More,” which directs you to a page on TikTok’s website Similar language. Existing users can also download their data from the site.
After President Biden passed the Protecting Americans from Apps Controlled by Foreign Adversaries Act, TikTok had six months to divest itself from Chinese parent company ByteDance. The company chose to fight the law, suing the Supreme Court arguing that its First Amendment rights were violated by the action. The Supreme Court was not affected.
like Part of the banThe Apple App Store, Google Play Store, and any other app market must remove TikTok or risk a $5,000 fine for every US user who downloads the app. White House officials said earlier in the week that the ban would not be implemented during President Joe Biden’s final hours in office, but TikTok… He said That the government “failed to provide necessary clarity and assurance to the service providers who are integral to maintaining TikTok availability for more than 170 million Americans.”
There have been multiple attempts to ban TikTok in the US over spying concerns, but this is the first time TikTok has been shut down, at least temporarily. President-elect Donald Trump was a major proponent of the ban during his first term in office, and ironically, this is TikTok’s only hope for survival after his second inauguration. Earlier Saturday, Trump told NBC News that he would “probably” give the company a 90-day extension after he takes office.
If an extension occurs, it is not clear what kind of arrangement the company might work out to remain in the United States after all. Perplexity AI has reportedly made a merger offer with TikTok US, CNBC I mentioned. Others, including investor Kevin O’Leary (from… Shark tank fame) She has too Submit proposals or express interest in purchasing the service.
Additional reporting by Carissa Bell.