The US ban on TikTok has been turned on. TikTok’s app stopped working and was removed from the App Store and Google Play on Saturday night, hours before the ban was expected to take effect on January 19th.
Users who have previously installed the app will see a pop-up instead. “Sorry, TikTok is currently unavailable” is displayed. “A law has been enacted to ban TikTok in the United States. Unfortunately, you cannot use TikTok at this time. We are fortunate that President Trump intends to work with us on a solution to bring TikTok back once he takes office.” Please look forward to it. “
The notification will direct users to TikTok’s website with the option to close the app or “Learn more.” similar language. Existing users can also download data from the website. ByteDance’s popular video editing app CapCut is also no longer available in the US.
Following President Biden’s passage of the Protecting Americans from Apps Controlled by Foreign Adversaries Act, TikTok was given six months to withdraw from its Chinese parent company ByteDance. The company chose to fight the law, filing a lawsuit in the Supreme Court alleging that its First Amendment rights were violated by this measure. The High Court unanimously ruled against the app because it had limited time to consider the case.
as Part of the banApple’s App Store, Google’s Play Store, and other app marketplaces must remove TikTok or face a $5,000 fine for each user in the U.S. who downloaded the app. White House officials said earlier this week that the ban would not go into effect in the final hours of President Joe Biden’s term, but TikTok said The government “failed to provide the necessary clarity and assurances to service providers essential to making TikTok available to more than 170 million Americans,” the lawsuit said.
There have been several attempts to ban TikTok in the U.S. over spying concerns, but this is the first time it has stalled, at least temporarily. President-elect Donald Trump was a major supporter of the ban during his first term in office, ironically making it TikTok’s only hope for survival in his second term. Earlier Saturday, President Trump told NBC News that he was “likely” to grant an extension for his first 90 days in office.
If there is an extension, it is unclear what kind of arrangement the company will ultimately make to remain in the United States. Perplexity AI has reportedly submitted a bid to merge with TikTok’s U.S. operations. CNBC Reported. Investor Kevin O’Leary ( shark tank fame) I also have made a suggestion or expressed an interest in purchasing services;
Additional reporting by Carissa Bell.
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