TikTok inaccessible in US as ban takes effect. Trump hints at possible extension. Uncertainty looms over app's future. Users react.
The social media platform TikTok was inaccessible to users within the United States commencing Saturday, the date a prohibition on the widely-used application officially took effect.
Upon opening the TikTok application Saturday evening, users were met with a message stating, "Sorry, TikTok isn't available right now."
The message continued, "A law prohibiting TikTok has been implemented in the U.S. Regrettably, this signifies that TikTok cannot be utilized at this time. We are encouraged that President Trump has indicated a willingness to collaborate with us on a resolution to reinstate TikTok upon assuming office. Further updates will be provided."
An inquiry for comment directed to a spokesperson for the Trump transition team on Saturday evening regarding the application’s notification referencing the president-elect specifically did not elicit an immediate response.
The message then presented users with the option to close the application or access additional information. The website’s landing page contained supplementary text informing users of the ability to log in for the purpose of downloading their data.
The application also appeared to have been removed from the digital storefronts of Apple and Google within the U.S., rendering it unavailable for download.
TikTok has a user base of 170 million in the U.S.
Similar messages were displayed by other applications from ByteDance, including CapCut, Lemon8, and Gauth, which also became inaccessible to a significant number of users in the U.S. on Saturday evening.
Early Sunday, Apple’s website indicated that TikTok and ByteDance applications were no longer available in the U.S.
“Apple is obligated to adhere to the legal frameworks of the jurisdictions in which it operates,” the statement read. “In accordance with the Protecting Americans from Foreign Adversary Controlled Applications Act, applications developed by ByteDance Ltd. and its subsidiaries — encompassing TikTok, CapCut, Lemon8, and others — will no longer be available for download or updates on the App Store for users in the United States commencing January 19, 2025.”
The cessation of TikTok’s operation follows a period of heightened uncertainty for the application preceding Sunday, the designated date for a ban on TikTok to take effect within the United States.
In April, President Joe Biden enacted legislation mandating that ByteDance, the Chinese-owned parent company of TikTok, divest TikTok to a non-Chinese owner, or face a ban of TikTok. The Supreme Court upheld the legislation on Friday, clearing the path for the application’s shutdown in the United States.
However, the Biden administration issued a statement on Friday suggesting that the enforcement of the law would be deferred to the Trump administration. Since the law’s enactment, it has faced considerable opposition from users and a segment of the American populace, leading numerous TikTok users to migrate to Chinese social media applications.
The Biden Administration’s indication that it would not enforce the ban upon its scheduled implementation on Sunday introduced ambiguity regarding the application’s availability to Americans.
Legislators from both major parties have characterized TikTok as a national security risk due to its ownership by a Chinese entity. Critics of TikTok have asserted the potential for the Chinese government to utilize the application to gain access to Americans’ data or to manipulate the content consumed by American users.
Conversely, the company has contested these concerns from lawmakers, portraying the impending ban as an infringement on free speech and an act of censorship. TikTok CEO Shou Zi Chew has affirmed the safety and security of the application.
The future of the application remains uncertain. Earlier on Saturday, President-elect Donald Trump indicated to NBC News’ Kristen Welker that he would “most likely” grant the application a 90-day extension of the Sunday deadline for ByteDance to either sell the application or face a ban of TikTok in the U.S.
“The 90-day extension is something that will most likely be done, because it’s appropriate,” stated Trump.
Trump’s position on TikTok has fluctuated. In 2020, he expressed a desire to ban the application. Subsequently, Trump reversed his stance before establishing his own TikTok account during the 2024 presidential campaign. In one video, Trump declared his intention to “save TikTok.”
In a video message posted on TikTok Friday, Chew expressed gratitude to Trump, noting the incoming president’s strong support for TikTok. Chew referenced Trump’s popularity on the application, where he is the most followed American politician, with over 14 million followers.
Some TikTok users have transitioned to competing social media platforms to share their sentiments regarding the application’s shutdown.
The popular Liza Minnelli Outlives X account commented, informing followers that the actress had outlived the application, “forcing many people to find new ways to waste time.”
One user drew a comparison between TikTok and the Detroit Lions, citing their shared status of being “eliminated by Washington.”
Members of Trump’s administration hold differing views on the application, with some, such as incoming Federal Communications Commission Chair Brendan Carr, advocating against Chinese influence over the application, while others, including unofficial government spending overseer Elon Musk, are arguing for TikTok’s continued availability based on principles of free speech.
On Friday, Trump posted on Truth Social: “The Supreme Court decision was expected, and everyone must respect it. My decision on TikTok will be made in the not-too-distant future, but I must have time to review the situation. Stay tuned!”
One potential avenue for TikTok to comply with the law and maintain operations in the U.S. involves negotiating a sale of the application to an American owner. Trump could uphold Biden’s decision to not enforce the law, though the duration of such a measure remains unclear.
Users on TikTok expressed their apprehension regarding the application’s potential demise earlier in the week, with numerous prominent creators compiling highlights of their most popular content on the application or requesting their followers to connect with them on other platforms. Many TikTok users have migrated to a Chinese application called RedNote as a form of protest against the government, although experts consulted by NBC News have identified it as posing an even greater security risk than TikTok.