Synopsis
On January 19, 2025, TikTok became unavailable in the U.S., with users facing a notification of service interruption due to legal restrictions. President Trump hinted at a potential 90-day extension to address the situation. Other ByteDance apps also faced accessibility issues, leading to significant reactions from the user community.Key Takeaways
- TikTok has ceased operations in the U.S. due to legal restrictions.
- President Trump may offer a 90-day extension to resolve the matter.
- The U.S. Supreme Court mandated ByteDance to divest TikTok.
- Other ByteDance applications are also impacted.
- Apple and Google face compliance issues regarding the ban.
Los Angeles, Jan 19 (NationPress) The widely-used video-sharing platform TikTok went offline late Saturday across the U.S.
Users encountered a notification stating: "Sorry, TikTok isn't available right now," as reported by Xinhua news agency.
"A law prohibiting TikTok has been enacted in the U.S. This means you cannot access TikTok at the moment," the notification continued, adding: "We are grateful that President Trump has signaled he will collaborate with us on a resolution to restore TikTok once he assumes office. Please stay tuned!"
U.S. President-elect Donald Trump indicated earlier on Saturday that he would likely grant TikTok a 90-day extension on Inauguration Day, which falls on Monday.
In a conversation with NBC News, Trump mentioned that he had not reached a final verdict on TikTok but was contemplating a 90-day extension of the Sunday deadline.
"I believe that would be a viable option for us to consider. The 90-day extension is very likely to be implemented as it makes sense," Trump stated during the phone interview. "We need to assess the situation carefully. It's a significant matter."
TikTok, based in Los Angeles, cautioned on Friday that it would have to cease operations for the 170 million users in the U.S. on Sunday unless President Joe Biden provides a "definitive" reassurance.
Earlier on Friday, the U.S. Supreme Court upheld legislation requiring TikTok's Chinese parent company, ByteDance, to divest the app to an American firm or face a nationwide ban starting Sunday, just one day before Trump's inauguration.
Following the ruling, countless users flocked to TikTok's platform to show their solidarity with the service.
The White House responded promptly after the Supreme Court's decision, shifting accountability to TikTok and Trump.
In April 2024, Biden enacted a law mandating ByteDance to sell the app within 270 days, citing unproven national security concerns.
If the company does not comply, the law stipulates that app store operators like Apple and Google must eliminate TikTok from their platforms starting Jan. 19, 2025.
Industry experts have warned that unless the Biden administration clarifies that TikTok's service providers will not face penalties for breaching the ban, these companies will be compelled to comply with the law.
Other ByteDance applications such as Lemon8, CapCut, Hypic, Gauth, and MARVEL SNAP also became inaccessible to users in the U.S. Saturday night.
Apple published a statement on its website regarding the availability of TikTok and ByteDance Ltd. applications in the U.S.
"TikTok and ByteDance Ltd. applications are no longer accessible in the United States, and visitors may face limited access to features," the statement read.
"Apple is obligated to adhere to the laws within the jurisdictions where it operates," the company stated, adding that "In accordance with the Protecting Americans from Foreign Adversary Controlled Applications Act, applications developed by ByteDance Ltd. and its subsidiaries—including TikTok, CapCut, Lemon8, and others—will be unavailable for download or updates on the App Store for users within the United States starting January 19, 2025."
"If you currently have these applications installed on your device, they will remain available. However, they cannot be redownloaded if deleted or restored if you switch to a new device. In-app purchases and new subscriptions are no longer feasible," Apple noted.
ByteDance's applications remain available for download in all other nations and regions where they are offered, according to the statement.
