TikTok has gone offline in the United States just hours before a new law banning the platform was set to take effect.
A message on the app for US users stated that the law had been enacted, meaning, “you can’t use TikTok for now.”
The notification also mentioned, “We are fortunate that President Trump has indicated that he will work with us on a solution to reinstate TikTok once he takes office.”
This development follows TikTok’s warning that it would “go dark” unless the outgoing Biden administration assured that the ban would not be enforced. President-elect Donald Trump has expressed that he would “most likely” provide a 90-day reprieve for TikTok after taking office on Monday.
Speaking to NBC News, Trump said, “The 90-day extension is something that will most likely be done, because it’s appropriate,” adding that an announcement could come Monday. Users reported that TikTok had also been removed from Apple and Google’s US app stores, while was no longer displaying videos.
The White House press secretary, Karine Jean-Pierre, stated, “We see no reason for TikTok or other companies to take actions in the next few days before the Trump administration takes office.”
The Supreme Court had upheld the April 2024 law requiring TikTok’s parent company, ByteDance, to sell the platform by Sunday. ByteDance has not complied, prompting the ban. TikTok has argued that the law violates free speech protections for its 170 million US users. TikTok CEO Shou Zi Chew expressed gratitude to Trump for his “commitment to work with us to find a solution” and is expected to attend Trump’s inauguration on Monday.
As the app went offline, creators posted farewell messages to followers. Nicole Bloomgarden highlighted the financial impact, while Erika Thompson noted the loss of educational content on the platform.
TikTok reassured users that they are working to restore services in the US as soon as possible.
