TikTok ceased access to users in the United States late on Saturday, just before a national ban was set to take effect, with President-elect Donald Trump unable to intervene until he officially takes office.
A message displayed to users trying to access the app stated, “A law banning TikTok has been enacted in the US. Unfortunately, that means you can’t use TikTok for now.”
The message continued, “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!”
After a lengthy legal battle, the US Supreme Court on Friday upheld a law banning the video-sharing app, citing national security concerns unless its Chinese owners, ByteDance, reached a deal to sell it to non-Chinese buyers by Sunday.
TikTok has gained massive popularity for turning ordinary users into viral stars, with videos ranging from dance challenges to cooking tips. Even Trump has praised the app for connecting with younger voters, aiding his election victory.
Trump recently discussed the matter with Chinese President Xi Jinping, indicating that he could issue a 90-day reprieve for TikTok once he assumes office on Monday. “The 90-day extension is something that will most likely be done, because it’s appropriate,” he said.
The law allows a 90-day delay if there’s progress on a deal, but ByteDance has flatly refused to sell TikTok. The Biden administration has deferred the issue to Trump, with White House spokeswoman Karine Jean-Pierre dismissing TikTok’s statements as a “stunt.”
TikTok CEO Shou Chew thanked Trump for his “commitment to work with us to find a solution,” expressing confidence in Trump’s understanding of the platform.
The law also mandates Apple and Google remove TikTok from their app stores, with potential penalties of $5,000 per user accessing the app. Oracle, hosting TikTok’s servers, would be obligated to enforce the ban.
In a last-minute move, the start-up Perplexity AI proposed a merger with TikTok’s US subsidiary, offering a potential workaround that would avoid a complete sale of the app. The deal could be worth over $50 billion, according to sources.
Other offers include one from Frank McCourt, former owner of the Los Angeles Dodgers, to buy TikTok’s US operations for $20 billion.
Despite these offers, legal questions remain, particularly regarding whether an executive order from Trump could override the law. “Congress wrote this law to be virtually president-proof,” said Adam Kovacevich, CEO of Chamber of Progress.
With TikTok in shutdown, competitors like Instagram Reels and YouTube Shorts are likely to benefit. Meanwhile, many users have migrated to Xiaohongshu, a Chinese social media platform, which became the most downloaded app in the US this week.