TikTok becomes unavailable in the US
In an announcement made on the app, the company expressed, “We are fortunate that President Trump has indicated that he will work with us on a solution to reinstate TikTok once he takes office.”
TroibNews 
TikTok suspended access for U.S. users Saturday night as a federal ban loomed, expressing hopes that President-elect Donald Trump would assist in reinstating the app.
“A law banning TikTok has been enacted in the U.S. Unfortunately, that means you can’t use TikTok for now,” the company noted in a pop-up message on the TikTok feed. “We are fortunate that President Trump has indicated that he will work with us on a solution to reinstate TikTok once he takes office. Please stay tuned!”
Users were directed to a separate page, where they could only log in to download their data or exit the app. As of midnight, it became illegal for any company to distribute, maintain, or update TikTok after the Supreme Court upheld a law requiring the app to cut ties with Beijing-based ByteDance.
The app was also quietly removed from both the Google and Apple app stores prior to Sunday. App providers faced potentially crippling fines of $5,000 per day for each user if they continued offering the app.
The app's potential return now depends on Trump, who has promised to negotiate a deal to save TikTok and is considering a 90-day extension.
With the deadline approaching, Trump's team has been in direct discussions with TikTok about ways to avoid its shutdown, as per two individuals familiar with the situation.
The discussions focus on devising a privacy and data security solution that addresses national security concerns raised by the Supreme Court's ruling, according to one source who requested anonymity due to the sensitive nature of the talks.
Any agreement to keep the app operational is expected to encounter significant business and legal challenges, and will compete for attention with other immediate priorities.
On Friday night, TikTok also reached out to President Joe Biden, cautioning that it would “go dark” without a clear commitment from him not to enforce the law. However, the White House stated that there was “no reason for TikTok or other companies to take actions in the next few days.”
The abrupt yet anticipated halt of TikTok is the result of sustained efforts by both the White House and Congress to counter potential Chinese influence through the app.
On the eve of the ban, TikTok users took to the platform to share secrets and tools for downloading videos as part of a trending activity. Sen. Rand Paul, a critic of the legislation, joined the app in a self-styled act of “civil disobedience.” There was even a moment of chaos when a false email sent to brand agencies incorrectly claimed TikTok would “suspend” the app at 8:30 p.m. Saturday.
Congress had overwhelmingly passed the TikTok law last year, with bipartisan support from the Biden administration. Lawmakers from both parties argued that a sale or ban was the only viable solution to address concerns regarding the Chinese government potentially accessing sensitive data and manipulating content through TikTok.
TikTok quickly contested the law, asserting it infringed on freedom of speech, and appealed to the Supreme Court. However, the justices ruled Friday that the law was warranted due to national security risks associated with data collection, clearing the path for TikTok's shutdown.
The legislation specifically targets TikTok and ByteDance but is crafted broadly enough that the president can apply similar divestiture processes to any app based in a foreign adversary's territory deemed a national security threat. This opens the door for potential future actions against other Chinese apps like WeChat and RedNote.
Other ByteDance-owned applications such as Lemon8, CapCut, and Hypic also informed U.S. users via pop-ups that they would no longer be accessible due to the ban.
Trump has vowed to forge a deal to save TikTok upon his return to the White House, although he remains undecided regarding the form this might take.
“I think that would be, certainly, an option that we look at. The 90-day extension is something that will be most likely done, because it’s appropriate,” Trump remarked in a phone interview with NBC News’ Kristen Welker on Saturday. “If I decide to do that, I’ll probably announce it on Monday.”
TikTok's executives may have an opportunity to discuss options with Trump this weekend, as CEO Shou Zi Chew is anticipated to attend a $50,000 inauguration party hosted by the company and the inauguration ceremony the following day.
Trump could consider several alternatives, including the extension, directing the attorney general to refrain from enforcing the federal ban, signing an executive order permitting TikTok to operate until a sale is finalized, declaring that TikTok has already completed an acceptable divestiture, or encouraging Congress to revisit the law.
“President Trump has to balance three stakeholders: the public requirements to address the national security concerns by shutting down the Chinese operation of TikTok and access to data; the financial interests of American investors in the app; and the Americans who earn income through the app directly or indirectly,” observed Chip Muir, a former Trump White House official who has written extensively about TikTok bans in recent years.
Some lawmakers, including those who initially supported the law, are becoming more receptive to the possibility of granting TikTok additional time to arrange a sale.
Reports indicate that billionaire Frank McCourt and Kevin O’Leary have made an official $20 billion offer to purchase the app. Additionally, Perplexity AI submitted a bid on Saturday, according to CNBC. Bloomberg also noted that Chinese officials are contemplating selling TikTok to Elon Musk as a contingency plan, a speculation dismissed by a company spokesperson as “pure fiction.”
However, numerous members of Congress are likely to monitor app stores closely.
Following the Supreme Court's ruling on Friday, Sen. Rick Scott expressed to reporters that U.S. app store providers like Google and Apple “need to comply with the law” requiring them to revoke TikTok's access. Scott showed little leniency for Trump’s attorney general nominee, Pam Bondi, who was hesitant to commit to enforcing the ban during her confirmation hearing, stating, “I expect the laws to be enforced” when questioned about her lack of commitment.
Sen. Mike Rounds remarked on Thursday that TikTok should receive “no more time.” The leadership of the House Select Committee on China has proactively directed Google CEO Sundar Pichai and Apple CEO Tim Cook to ensure their companies comply with the law by January 19.
Thomas Evans for TROIB News
“A law banning TikTok has been enacted in the U.S. Unfortunately, that means you can’t use TikTok for now,” the company noted in a pop-up message on the TikTok feed. “We are fortunate that President Trump has indicated that he will work with us on a solution to reinstate TikTok once he takes office. Please stay tuned!”
Users were directed to a separate page, where they could only log in to download their data or exit the app. As of midnight, it became illegal for any company to distribute, maintain, or update TikTok after the Supreme Court upheld a law requiring the app to cut ties with Beijing-based ByteDance.
The app was also quietly removed from both the Google and Apple app stores prior to Sunday. App providers faced potentially crippling fines of $5,000 per day for each user if they continued offering the app.
The app's potential return now depends on Trump, who has promised to negotiate a deal to save TikTok and is considering a 90-day extension.
With the deadline approaching, Trump's team has been in direct discussions with TikTok about ways to avoid its shutdown, as per two individuals familiar with the situation.
The discussions focus on devising a privacy and data security solution that addresses national security concerns raised by the Supreme Court's ruling, according to one source who requested anonymity due to the sensitive nature of the talks.
Any agreement to keep the app operational is expected to encounter significant business and legal challenges, and will compete for attention with other immediate priorities.
On Friday night, TikTok also reached out to President Joe Biden, cautioning that it would “go dark” without a clear commitment from him not to enforce the law. However, the White House stated that there was “no reason for TikTok or other companies to take actions in the next few days.”
The abrupt yet anticipated halt of TikTok is the result of sustained efforts by both the White House and Congress to counter potential Chinese influence through the app.
On the eve of the ban, TikTok users took to the platform to share secrets and tools for downloading videos as part of a trending activity. Sen. Rand Paul, a critic of the legislation, joined the app in a self-styled act of “civil disobedience.” There was even a moment of chaos when a false email sent to brand agencies incorrectly claimed TikTok would “suspend” the app at 8:30 p.m. Saturday.
Congress had overwhelmingly passed the TikTok law last year, with bipartisan support from the Biden administration. Lawmakers from both parties argued that a sale or ban was the only viable solution to address concerns regarding the Chinese government potentially accessing sensitive data and manipulating content through TikTok.
TikTok quickly contested the law, asserting it infringed on freedom of speech, and appealed to the Supreme Court. However, the justices ruled Friday that the law was warranted due to national security risks associated with data collection, clearing the path for TikTok's shutdown.
The legislation specifically targets TikTok and ByteDance but is crafted broadly enough that the president can apply similar divestiture processes to any app based in a foreign adversary's territory deemed a national security threat. This opens the door for potential future actions against other Chinese apps like WeChat and RedNote.
Other ByteDance-owned applications such as Lemon8, CapCut, and Hypic also informed U.S. users via pop-ups that they would no longer be accessible due to the ban.
Trump has vowed to forge a deal to save TikTok upon his return to the White House, although he remains undecided regarding the form this might take.
“I think that would be, certainly, an option that we look at. The 90-day extension is something that will be most likely done, because it’s appropriate,” Trump remarked in a phone interview with NBC News’ Kristen Welker on Saturday. “If I decide to do that, I’ll probably announce it on Monday.”
TikTok's executives may have an opportunity to discuss options with Trump this weekend, as CEO Shou Zi Chew is anticipated to attend a $50,000 inauguration party hosted by the company and the inauguration ceremony the following day.
Trump could consider several alternatives, including the extension, directing the attorney general to refrain from enforcing the federal ban, signing an executive order permitting TikTok to operate until a sale is finalized, declaring that TikTok has already completed an acceptable divestiture, or encouraging Congress to revisit the law.
“President Trump has to balance three stakeholders: the public requirements to address the national security concerns by shutting down the Chinese operation of TikTok and access to data; the financial interests of American investors in the app; and the Americans who earn income through the app directly or indirectly,” observed Chip Muir, a former Trump White House official who has written extensively about TikTok bans in recent years.
Some lawmakers, including those who initially supported the law, are becoming more receptive to the possibility of granting TikTok additional time to arrange a sale.
Reports indicate that billionaire Frank McCourt and Kevin O’Leary have made an official $20 billion offer to purchase the app. Additionally, Perplexity AI submitted a bid on Saturday, according to CNBC. Bloomberg also noted that Chinese officials are contemplating selling TikTok to Elon Musk as a contingency plan, a speculation dismissed by a company spokesperson as “pure fiction.”
However, numerous members of Congress are likely to monitor app stores closely.
Following the Supreme Court's ruling on Friday, Sen. Rick Scott expressed to reporters that U.S. app store providers like Google and Apple “need to comply with the law” requiring them to revoke TikTok's access. Scott showed little leniency for Trump’s attorney general nominee, Pam Bondi, who was hesitant to commit to enforcing the ban during her confirmation hearing, stating, “I expect the laws to be enforced” when questioned about her lack of commitment.
Sen. Mike Rounds remarked on Thursday that TikTok should receive “no more time.” The leadership of the House Select Committee on China has proactively directed Google CEO Sundar Pichai and Apple CEO Tim Cook to ensure their companies comply with the law by January 19.
Thomas Evans for TROIB News
