TikTok users in the United States were abruptly disconnected late Saturday as a national ban on the popular app officially took effect.
The ban follows a ruling by the US Supreme Court on Friday that upheld the prohibition in the name of national security unless its Chinese owner, ByteDance, completes a sale to non-Chinese buyers.
“A law banning TikTok has been enacted in the US. Unfortunately, that means you can’t use TikTok for now,” read a message displayed to users attempting to access the app.
It added, “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!”
The outgoing administration of President Joe Biden deferred the matter to President-elect Donald Trump, whose inauguration is scheduled for Monday.
Trump, a TikTok supporter credited the platform for connecting him to younger voters during the November 2024 election.
Speaking with NBC News, Trump expressed willingness to grant a 90-day reprieve once he assumes office. “The 90-day extension is something that will most likely be done because it’s appropriate,” he said.
Despite the possibility of a reprieve, ByteDance has refused outright to sell the app, complicating negotiations.
White House spokeswoman Karine Jean-Pierre dismissed TikTok’s statement as a “stunt,” while TikTok CEO Shou Chew praised Trump’s understanding of the platform and his commitment to finding a solution.
A last-minute merger proposal involving TikTok’s US operations and Perplexity AI, supported by Amazon founder Jeff Bezos, has surfaced. While no price has been disclosed, industry insiders estimate the transaction could exceed $50 billion.
Former Los Angeles Dodgers owner Frank McCourt and Canadian investor Kevin O’Leary have also made offers, with the latter valuing TikTok’s US operations at $20 billion.
The law mandates that tech giants Apple and Google remove TikTok from app stores, penalizing companies $5,000 per user who gains access to the app. Oracle, the host of TikTok’s servers, is also required to enforce the ban.
As TikTok goes dark in the US, domestic competitors like Instagram Reels and YouTube Shorts are expected to capitalize on the vacuum.
Meanwhile, TikTok’s American users are migrating to Xiaohongshu (“Little Red Book”), a Chinese app resembling Instagram, which has surged to the top of the US Apple Store charts.
The situation remains fluid, with Trump’s incoming administration poised to determine TikTok’s future in the coming days.