TikTok Goes Darkish Hours Earlier than U.S. Ban Takes Impact

TikTok is not any extra — for now.

The social media software is formally down, as of Saturday, Jan. 18, solely hours earlier than the regulation that bans TikTok from being distributed in america was set to enter impact.

Customers who open the TikTok app are greeted with a pop-up message that reads: “Sorry, TikTok is not obtainable proper now.”

“A regulation banning TikTok has been enacted within the U.S. Sadly, which means you possibly can’t use TikTok for now,” the message continues.

The pop-up then references Donald Trump‘s latest feedback that he’ll “most definitely” give TikTok an extension to have its father or mother firm, based mostly in China, promote the platform to a non-Chinese language-buyer when he takes workplace as President of america on Monday, Jan. 20. “We’re lucky that President Trump has indicated that he’ll work with us on an answer to reinstate TikTok as soon as he takes workplace. Please keep tuned!” the corporate concluded.

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Simply two days earlier than the deadline, on Friday, Jan. 17, the Supreme Court docket dominated that the regulation forcing TikTok to stop U.S. operations if it did not divest from Chinese language possession is constitutional, affirming an appeals courtroom’s earlier ruling that the sell-or-ban mandate did not violate the First Modification.

Attorneys for TikTok beforehand mentioned in courtroom that the app will “go darkish” if the regulation went into impact, though they did not go into particular particulars about their plans, in need of saying that “primarily, the platform shuts down.”

In a video assertion launched after the courtroom’s determination got here out, TikTok CEO Shou Zi Chew did not instantly tackle the ruling, or the corporate’s plans, however as a substitute thanked President-elect Trump, 78, “for his dedication to work with us to discover a answer that retains TikTok obtainable in america.”

That very same day, Trump shared a message on his Reality Social platform, writing that the courtroom’s determination “was anticipated, and everybody should respect it.” 

“My determination on TikTok will probably be made within the not too distant future, however I will need to have time to overview the state of affairs,” he added. “Keep tuned!”

Though it stays unclear what actions Trump may take, The Washington Submit beforehand reported that he was contemplating issuing an government order after taking workplace, which might droop enforcement of the ban for someplace between 60 to 90 days. The delay would give him time to assist dealer a sale — one thing TikTok and ByteDance haven’t been keen to do prior to now — or supply one other answer.

Trump then instructed NBC Information’ Meet the Press moderator Kristen Welker in a cellphone interview on Jan. 18 that he’ll quickly doubtlessly give TikTok a 90-day extension.

“I believe that will be, definitely, an choice that we have a look at. The 90-day extension is one thing that will probably be most definitely finished, as a result of it’s acceptable. You already know, it’s acceptable. We’ve got to take a look at it rigorously. It’s a really huge state of affairs,” Trump mentioned, per NBC Information.

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After all, with the ban deadline falling simply in the future earlier than Trump takes workplace, there have been lingering questions on what President Joe Biden‘s administration will — or will not — do.

In response to the courtroom’s determination, White Home Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre mentioned that “President Biden’s place on TikTok has been clear for months. … TikTok ought to stay obtainable to Individuals, however merely underneath American possession or different possession that addresses the nationwide safety issues recognized by Congress in growing this regulation.”

Nevertheless, the press secretary added that given the “sheer reality of timing, this Administration acknowledges that actions to implement the regulation merely should fall to the following Administration, which takes workplace on Monday.”

The sell-or-ban laws, which overwhelmingly handed in Congress and was signed by Biden, 82, final 12 months, is designed to power Chinese language homeowners ByteDance to promote the favored app over fears China’s authorities may use its information to govern or hurt Individuals (an argument TikTok has referred to as “outright censorship of the American folks.)

Below the regulation, if TikTok is not offered by its proprietor — or “divested” after which purchased by a non-“international adversary ” — then it’ll grow to be unlawful for web companies within the U.S. to assist or distribute it and the regulation would power the app to be faraway from app shops (like Apple or Google) and make it inaccessible via web browsers in America.

If TikTok or different web corporations violated the regulation, they may additionally face big monetary penalties — though enforcement of the regulation is as much as the Justice Division. (Trump’s choose for lawyer common, Pam Bondi, declined to say whether or not she would commit to implementing the regulation throughout her latest affirmation listening to).

There was discuss of banning TikTok within the U.S. because it surged in reputation through the COVID-19 pandemic. 

Trump first introduced his plan to ban the platform from working within the U.S. throughout his first presidential time period in April 2020, an try that was later paused by Biden’s administration in February 2021, though he did go on to signal the ban-or-sell laws final April.

The ban comes amid rising safety issues that China may use the app as a surveillance software on Americans and as a solution to entry data or information on them with out their information.

TikTok has denied that data on the app could be shared with the Chinese language authorities, and the Chinese language international ministry additionally argued that “the U.S. has by no means discovered any proof of TikTok posing a menace to the U.S.’s nationwide safety,” based on Reuters. 

The Monetary Occasions reported in March 2024 that TikTok, which was launched in 2016 and headquartered in Los Angeles and Singapore (with workplaces in such cities as New York, London, Dubai and Tokyo), generated $16 billion in gross sales within the U.S. the earlier 12 months.

As for what Individuals consider theTikTok ban, a Pew Analysis ballot launched in December 2024 discovered that 32% of Individuals supported banning TikTok, a major drop from the 50% who supported the ban in March 2023.