The change has been activated in the TikTok ban in the US. The TikTok app stopped working and was removed from the App Store and Google Play on Saturday night, just hours before the ban went into effect on the 19th. of January.
People who have previously installed the app are greeted with a pop-up window. “Sorry, TikTok is not available at this time,” it says. “A law has been passed banning TikTok in the US. Unfortunately, that means you can't use TikTok for now. We're lucky that President Trump has indicated that he will work with us on a solution to reinstate TikTok once take over. Please stay tuned.”
The notice offers the option to close the app or “learn more,” directing users to the TikTok website, which has similar language. Existing users can also download their data from the website. ByteDance's popular video editing app CapCut is no longer available in the US.
Following President Biden's passage of the “Protecting Americans from Apps Controlled by Foreign Adversaries Act,” TikTok had six months to divest Chinese parent company ByteDance. The company chose to fight the law and filed a case with the Supreme Court alleging that the measure violated its First Amendment rights. The high court, with limited time to consider the case, ruled unanimously against the application.
As part of the banApple's App Store, Google's Play Store and any other app marketplaces must remove TikTok or be subject to a $5,000 fine for every user in the US who downloads the app. White House officials said earlier in the week that the ban would not apply during President Joe Biden's final hours in office, but TikTok saying that the government had “failed to provide the necessary clarity and assurance to service providers who are essential to keeping TikTok available to more than 170 million Americans.”
Multiple attempts have been made to ban TikTok in the US over fears of espionage, but this is the first time it has stalled, at least temporarily. President-elect Donald Trump was a leading supporter of a ban during his first term and, ironically, is TikTok's only hope of surviving after his second inauguration. Earlier on Saturday, Trump told NBC News that he would “very likely” grant a 90-day extension to the company after taking office.
Should an extension occur, it's unclear what kind of deal the company might reach to remain in the U.S. after all. Perplexity ai has reportedly submitted a bid to merge with TikTok's US operations, CNBC reported. Others, including investor Kevin O'Leary (of shark tank fame) I also have made proposals or expressed interest in purchasing the service.
Additional reporting by Karissa Bell.
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