TikTok experienced a sudden shutdown for its 170 million U.S. users late on Saturday, just a day before a law banning the app over national security concerns was set to take effect on Sunday. The app, owned by China's ByteDance, was removed from both the Apple and Google app stores, and other ByteDance-owned apps, such as CapCut and Lemon8, were also unavailable. In response to the impending ban, TikTok posted a message to users, stating that the app would be temporarily inaccessible but noting that President-elect Donald Trump had indicated he would work to reinstate the app after his inauguration.
Trump, who had previously expressed support for giving TikTok a 90-day reprieve, said the extension was "appropriate" and would likely be announced on Monday. The law that prompted the shutdown grants the incoming Trump administration sweeping powers to potentially ban or force the sale of other Chinese-owned apps in the U.S. The unprecedented move has profound implications not only for U.S.-China relations but also for the U.S. political landscape, the social media marketplace, and millions of Americans who rely on TikTok for business, entertainment, and cultural engagement.
This development marks the first time a major social media platform has been banned in the U.S., signaling a significant shift in the country’s approach to foreign-owned tech companies. While the shutdown was not fully clear on whether all U.S. users were affected, many reported that they could no longer access TikTok, and attempts to use the app’s web version resulted in a message stating the app was no longer working. The move comes after TikTok had warned that it would go dark unless the Biden administration provided assurances to tech companies like Apple and Google that they would not face legal actions over hosting the app.