TikTok went dark in the United States on Saturday night, less than two hours before a ban was slated to go into effect. Visitors to the app were greeted with a message stating that a law banning TikTok had been enacted in the U.S., rendering the app temporarily unavailable.
The Supreme Court upheld the ban on the Chinese-owned social media platform, but there are indications that it could be back as early as Monday. President-elect Donald Trump mentioned the possibility of delaying the ban for 90 days after taking office on Monday.
The ban on TikTok was passed last year with bipartisan support due to concerns about national security risks posed by the app's ties to China and access to user data. The fate of TikTok, with its 170 million U.S. users, has been uncertain for months.
Many users, including influencers and small businesses, expressed reliance on the platform for their livelihoods and hoped for a resolution to save the app. However, the Supreme Court's unanimous decision to uphold the ban dashed hopes for a last-minute reprieve.
TikTok's owner, ByteDance, has rejected potential buyers, emphasizing its popularity among American users and its value to small businesses. The company is fighting to remain online without changing ownership.
Despite the White House indicating that enforcement of the law would fall to the next administration, TikTok warned that it might go dark on Sunday due to concerns from service providers about potential legal liabilities.
Efforts are underway to negotiate a solution, with Trump positioning himself as a potential savior of the app. TikTok employees were informed of ongoing efforts to reinstate the app in the U.S.
While some Biden officials are content with TikTok going dark temporarily, the situation remains fluid as stakeholders navigate legal and political complexities surrounding the app's future.
As the deadline looms, TikTok's fate hangs in the balance, with potential interventions from the Biden administration and ongoing discussions to resolve the impasse.
