TikTok shuts down in the US just hours ahead of the impending ban.
TikTok has ceased operations in the US just hours before a new law prohibiting the platform was set to take effect. Users in the US received a notification on the app stating that the law banning TikTok is now in place, which means "you can't use TikTok for now." The video-sharing platform faced a ban due to concerns regarding its connections to the Chinese government and was given until January 19 to be sold to a US-approved buyer. President Joe Biden indicated that he would leave the decision to his successor, Donald Trump, who has mentioned that he will "most likely" grant TikTok a 90-day extension before enforcing a ban once he assumes office on Monday.
"The 90-day extension is something that will be most likely done, because it's appropriate," Trump told NBC News on Saturday.
"If I decide to do that, I'll probably announce it on Monday."
Users have indicated that the app has been taken down from both the Apple and Google US app stores, and TikTok.com is currently not displaying any videos.
"We are fortunate that President Trump has indicated that he will work with us on a solution to reinstate TikTok once he takes office," the message displayed after the ban went into force read.
The Supreme Court confirmed on Friday the law enacted in April of last year, which prohibits the app in the US unless its parent company, ByteDance, based in China, sells the platform by Sunday—a deadline that has not been met. TikTok contends that this law infringes on the free speech rights of its 170 million users in the nation. Following the decision, TikTok's CEO, Shou Zi Chew, reached out to Trump, expressing gratitude for his "commitment to collaborate with us in finding a solution." Mr. Chew is anticipated to be present at Trump's inauguration on Monday. In the final hours before the social media platform was set to go offline, content creators shared videos to bid farewell to their followers.
