TikTok, the popular short video app, was shut down in the United States on Saturday night, January 18, 2025, following a Supreme Court ruling that upheld a ban on its operation under Chinese control.
Apple and Google have removed the app from their US stores, and users who try to access it receive a message informing them of its unavailability.
The ban stems from national security concerns, with authorities fearing that the Chinese government could access American users’ data through TikTok’s parent company, ByteDance.
see also: Trump asks U.S. Supreme Court to delay TikTok ban
In April 2024, then-President Joe Biden signed a law requiring ByteDance to sell TikTok to a non-Chinese buyer by January 19, 2025, or face a ban in the US.
President-elect Donald Trump, who will take office on January 20, has expressed interest in finding a solution to keep TikTok operating in the US. Among the possibilities are a 90-day extension for the sale or facilitating the sale to an American buyer.
Trump has said that it is “very likely” to grant such an extension, considering it appropriate.
Meanwhile, TikTok has declared that it will “stay offline” until there is clarity and guarantees about its legal situation. The White House called this stance a bluff.
The situation remains uncertain, with discussions about the future of the app likely to play a significant role in future trade negotiations between the US and China.
