TikTok ceased operations in the US late on Saturday, following a Supreme Court decision to uphold a federal ban. The Chinese-owned short-video app was removed from Apple’s iOS App Store and Google’s Play Store, with parent company ByteDance opting for a total shutdown.
TikTok had resisted the move, maintaining until the end that divestment was not commercially, technologically, or legally feasible.
Former President Donald Trump, who first proposed a ban in 2020, found support for the bill in Congress, resulting in the enactment of the Protecting Americans from Foreign Adversary Controlled Applications Act.
Users attempting to access TikTok in the US were met with a message: “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.”
Despite mounting legal challenges, including arguments over free speech rights, the Supreme Court ruled the law constitutional, paving the way for TikTok’s removal.
President Joe Biden stated he would leave enforcement of the bill to Trump, who is set to be inaugurated on Monday.
In a recent statement, Trump indicated his intention to grant TikTok a 90-day reprieve from the ban, citing its widespread use and popularity in the US.
Meanwhile, TikTok users are migrating to alternatives such as Xiaohongshu, also known as RedNote, a Chinese video-sharing app.
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