TikTok has gone offline in the United States just hours before a new law banning the platform was set to take effect.
Users reported seeing a message on the app stating that the law had been enacted, making TikTok temporarily unavailable. The message added, “We are fortunate that President Trump has indicated he will work with us on a solution to reinstate TikTok once he takes office.”
The move follows TikTok’s warning that it would “go dark” unless the Biden administration assured the ban would not be enforced. The app has also been removed from Apple’s and Google’s US app stores, and TikTok.com is no longer displaying videos.
President-elect Donald Trump has suggested he may grant TikTok a 90-day reprieve from the ban once he assumes office on Monday, saying, “The 90-day extension is something that will most likely be done because it’s appropriate.”
The Supreme Court recently upheld a law requiring TikTok’s China-based parent company, ByteDance, to sell the platform by Sunday. TikTok has not complied, arguing the law violates free speech protections for its 170 million US users.
TikTok’s CEO, Shou Zi Chew, has appealed to Trump for a resolution and is expected to attend his inauguration. In the meantime, content creators have been posting farewell videos, highlighting the platform’s impact on their livelihoods and communities.
TikTok reassured users with a message stating, “We’re working to restore our service in the U.S. as soon as possible.”
