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TikTok has preemptively suspended its operations in the United States ahead of a nationwide ban set to take effect on Sunday. Late Saturday evening, users were greeted with a message on the app's landing page stating, “A law banning TikTok has been enacted in the U.S. Unfortunately, that means you can’t use TikTok for now.” The statement also assured users that they could still access the platform to download their data.
TikTok further hinted at a potential resolution under the upcoming administration, 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.”
The anticipated ban stems from bipartisan legislation signed by President Joe Biden last spring, mandating ByteDance, TikTok’s Chinese parent company, to divest the platform by January 19 or face a complete shutdown in the U.S. While TikTok and a coalition of content creators challenged the law, both the D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals and the Supreme Court upheld its constitutionality. The ban prohibits companies such as Apple and Google from hosting the app in their stores, effectively rendering it inaccessible.
Despite the legislation, the Biden administration signalled last week that enforcing the ban would be deferred to the incoming administration. “Given the sheer fact of timing, this administration recognises that actions to implement the law simply must fall to the next administration, which takes office on Monday,” White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre stated on Friday.
President-elect Trump has expressed his intent to delay the ban for 90 days, allowing time to explore alternatives. Speaking to NBC on Saturday, he confirmed the deadline extension was “most likely” to be formalised soon after his inauguration. Trump has also invited TikTok CEO Shou Zi Chew to attend his swearing-in ceremony, underscoring his interest in resolving the matter.
While the future of TikTok in the U.S. remains uncertain, the platform's significant cultural and social impact has undoubtedly secured its position in public discourse.
