Late Saturday night, TikTok officially blocked access to its American users, hours before a newly enacted law banning the app was set to take effect. Users attempting to open the popular video-sharing platform were met with a message reading:
“A law banning TikTok has been enacted in the U.S. Unfortunately, that means you can’t use TikTok for now. 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!”
As of 11 p.m. ET, TikTok was also unavailable for new downloads on the Apple App Store and Google Play Store, marking a significant disruption to one of the most popular social media platforms in the U.S.
Legal Battle and Political Maneuvering
The blackout comes after the Supreme Court on Friday unanimously upheld the "divest-or-ban" law, which requires TikTok's parent company, the Beijing-based ByteDance, to divest from the app or face a nationwide ban. ByteDance was given until Sunday to comply with the order, first signed into law by President Joe Biden in April with overwhelming bipartisan support.
While the Biden administration announced Friday that it would not enforce the law, it left implementation to the incoming Trump administration. TikTok responded by announcing its decision to “go dark,” citing a lack of guidance from federal authorities.
The White House dismissed TikTok’s move as a “stunt,” claiming the app did not need to take immediate action. However, President-elect Donald Trump suggested a more lenient path forward, stating Saturday on Meet the Press that he would likely grant a 90-day extension.
“The 90-day extension is something that will be most likely done, because it’s appropriate. We have to look at it carefully,” Trump said, characterizing the situation as a “very big” issue.
Uncertain Future for TikTok
TikTok’s U.S. future remains murky. While CEO Shou Zi Chew expressed optimism following his recent meetings with Trump, ByteDance has consistently maintained that selling TikTok is not a viable option. Despite this, rumors of potential buyers abound.
On Sunday, sources indicated that the search engine Perplexity AI had submitted a bid to merge with TikTok, while Tesla and SpaceX CEO Elon Musk dismissed speculation that he might pursue a deal as “fiction.” Investor Kevin O’Leary, known for his role on Shark Tank, confirmed he had offered $20 billion to buy the platform, joining billionaire Frank McCourt in an effort to keep the app operational in the U.S.
Alternatives Emerge Amid Uncertainty
With TikTok offline, competitors are seeing a surge in downloads. Chinese social media app Xiaohongshu became the most downloaded free app on Apple’s App Store earlier this week, as users searched for alternatives. Lemon8, a ByteDance-owned app, also saw increased popularity but could face similar challenges due to its ties to the parent company.
For now, TikTok’s American users remain in limbo, awaiting a potential resolution. While President Trump has signaled a willingness to work with ByteDance, the timeline for resolving the divestiture remains unclear. Whether through an extension, a sale, or further legal battles, TikTok’s fate in the U.S. is far from decided.
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