19th January 2025 – (Washington) The popular video-sharing app TikTok went offline late Saturday in the United States, leaving millions of users with a message stating, “Sorry, TikTok isn’t available right now.” The notification indicated that a new law banning the app had been enacted, effectively suspending its services for American users.
The message also expressed hope, noting, “We are fortunate that President Trump has indicated that he will work with us on a solution to reinstate TikTok once he takes office. Please stay tuned!” This came after President-elect Donald Trump hinted earlier that he would likely grant TikTok a 90-day extension on the impending ban.
In an interview with NBC News, Trump stated he had not yet made a final decision but acknowledged that a 90-day extension was a strong possibility. “We have to look at it carefully. It’s a very big situation,” he remarked, underscoring the complexity of the matter.
TikTok, which is headquartered in Los Angeles, had warned on Friday that it would be forced to cease operations for its 170 million U.S. users unless President Joe Biden provided a “definitive” assurance about its future. The urgency was amplified by a recent Supreme Court ruling mandating that TikTok’s Chinese parent company, ByteDance, must sell the app to an American entity or face a nationwide ban.
Following the Supreme Court’s decision, a wave of support surged on TikTok’s platform as users rallied to voice their concerns. The White House quickly shifted the onus back to TikTok and Trump, emphasising that the responsibility rested with them to navigate the legal landscape.
In April 2024, Biden had signed legislation requiring ByteDance to divest TikTok within 270 days, citing national security concerns. Should the company fail to comply, app store operators such as Apple and Google would be mandated to remove TikTok from their platforms starting 19th January, 2025.
The post TikTok suspends service in the U.S. leaving millions of users with a message appeared first on Dimsum Daily.
English (US) ·