TikTok went offline in the US just hours before a new law prohibiting the platform was set to take effect. A message displayed on the app for US users stated that a law had been passed banning TikTok, and therefore, "you can't use TikTok for now."
The popular video-sharing app faced a ban due to suspicions regarding its ties to the Chinese government and was required to be sold to an approved US purchaser by January 19th.
President Joe Biden deferred the decision to his successor, Donald Trump, who expressed the likelihood of granting TikTok a 90-day reprieve once he assumes office on Monday, stating, "If I decide to do that, I'll probably announce it on Monday."
Following the ban, users noted that the app was inaccessible on both Apple and Google's US app stores, and TikTok.com was no longer showing videos.
"We are grateful that President Trump has indicated his willingness to collaborate with us to find a resolution to reinstate TikTok once he assumes office," a message shown post-ban read.
Despite TikTok's argument that the law infringes upon the free speech rights of its 170 million US users, the Supreme Court upheld the legislation from April of the previous year, mandating the app's sale unless its Chinese parent company, ByteDance, had divested the platform by Sunday, an action that has not taken place.
In response, TikTok's CEO, Shou Zi Chew, reached out to Trump, appreciating his "commitment to collaborate with us in finding a solution."
Mr. Chew is anticipated to attend Trump's inauguration on Monday, as reported.
Nicole Bloomgarden, a content creator, disclosed to the BBC that not being present on TikTok would lead to a substantial decrease in her earnings. Additionally, user Erika Thompson highlighted that the absence of educational content on the platform would be a significant loss for the community.
Users were notified earlier on Saturday of disruptions due to the law, with a message stating that services would be temporarily unavailable, and efforts were underway to restore service in the US promptly.
Conversely, a government official informed the BBC on Sunday that the UK had no intentions to ban TikTok, as Chief Secretary to the Treasury Darren Jones stated, "We won't be following the same path as the Americans unless or until... there is a threat that we are concerned about in the British interest, and then of course we will keep it under review."