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

TikTok isn’t any extra — for now.

The social media utility 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 accessible proper now.”

“A regulation banning TikTok has been enacted within the U.S. Sadly, meaning you’ll be able to’t use TikTok for now,” the message continues.

The pop-up then references Donald Trump‘s latest feedback that he’ll “more than likely” give TikTok an extension to have its dad or mum 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 Courtroom 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 court docket’s earlier ruling that the sell-or-ban mandate did not violate the First Modification.

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

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

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

“My resolution on TikTok will likely be made within the not too distant future, however I should have time to evaluation the scenario,” he added. “Keep tuned!”

Though it stays unclear what actions Trump may take, The Washington Publish beforehand reported that he was contemplating issuing an govt 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 prepared to do up to now — or provide one other resolution.

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

“I feel that may be, definitely, an choice that we have a look at. The 90-day extension is one thing that will likely be more than likely executed, as a result of it’s acceptable. You already know, it’s acceptable. We’ve got to have a look at it rigorously. It’s a really large scenario,” Trump mentioned, per NBC Information.

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In fact, with the ban deadline falling simply someday 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 court docket’s resolution, White Home Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre mentioned that “President Biden’s place on TikTok has been clear for months. … TikTok ought to stay accessible to Individuals, however merely beneath American possession or different possession that addresses the nationwide safety issues recognized by Congress in creating this regulation.”

Nonetheless, the press secretary added that given the “sheer truth of timing, this Administration acknowledges that actions to implement the regulation merely should fall to the subsequent 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 house owners ByteDance to promote the favored app over fears China’s authorities might use its knowledge to control or hurt Individuals (an argument TikTok has referred to as “outright censorship of the American individuals.)

Beneath the regulation, if TikTok is not bought by its proprietor — or “divested” after which purchased by a non-“overseas adversary ” — then it’s going to turn into unlawful for web providers within the U.S. to help 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 firms violated the regulation, they might additionally face big monetary penalties — though enforcement of the regulation is as much as the Justice Division. (Trump’s decide for lawyer basic, Pam Bondi, declined to say whether or not she would commit to implementing the regulation throughout her latest affirmation listening to).

There was speak of banning TikTok within the U.S. because it surged in recognition throughout 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 might use the app as a surveillance device on Americans and as a method to entry data or knowledge 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 overseas ministry additionally argued that “the U.S. has by no means discovered any proof of TikTok posing a risk to the U.S.’s nationwide safety,” in line with 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 big drop from the 50% who supported the ban in March 2023.