American Entertainment News: TikTok Goes Offline in the U.S. Hours Before Ban Takes Effect
TikTok became inaccessible in the United States just hours before a new regulation prohibiting the platform was set to take effect
A notification on the app for U.S. users stated that a law banning TikTok had been implemented, meaning “you can’t use TikTok for now.”
“We are fortunate that President Trump has indicated he will collaborate with us to restore TikTok once he assumes office,” the message read.
This development follows warnings from the social media platform that it would “go dark” on Sunday unless the outgoing Biden administration provided assurances the prohibition would not be enforced.
President-elect Donald Trump announced he would “most likely” grant TikTok a 90-day delay from the ban after taking office on Monday.
Users noted the app had also disappeared from Apple and Google’s app stores in the U.S., and TikTok.com was no longer displaying videos.
“The 90-day extension is something that will most likely happen because it’s the right approach,” Trump told NBC News on Saturday. “If I make that decision, I’ll probably announce it Monday.”
The White House stated the matter was now in the hands of the incoming administration.
“We see no reason for TikTok or other companies to take drastic measures before the Trump administration assumes office on Monday,” press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said in a statement.
On Friday, the Supreme Court upheld the law passed in April last year, mandating the app’s ban unless its parent company, China-based ByteDance, divested from the platform by Sunday—a move that has not been completed.
TikTok has argued the legislation infringes on free speech protections for its 170 million American users.
Following the court’s decision, TikTok CEO Shou Zi Chew appealed to Trump, expressing gratitude for his “commitment to work with us to find a solution.” Chew is expected to attend Trump’s inauguration on Monday.
In the hours before the platform went offline, creators shared farewell videos with their audiences.
Nicole Bloomgarden, a TikTok creator, told the BBC that losing access to the app would significantly impact her income.
Another user, Erika Thompson, noted that the disappearance of educational content would be the “biggest loss” for the community.
Earlier on Saturday, TikTok displayed a message warning users that the law would “force us to make our services temporarily unavailable. We’re working to restore our service in the U.S. as soon as possible.”
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