Abroad
TikTok 'temporarily unavailable' to US users
The app was also removed from the country's Apple and Google app stores.
January 19, 2025, 02:56 PM
Social media platform TikTok has been disabled in the United States (U.S.) on Jan. 19 (Singapore time) ahead of its supposed ban.
According to ABC News, the app "went dark" for some users with a pop-up message stating that it "isn't available right now".
The app was also removed from the country's Apple and Google app stores.
Not clear how many users were affected
According to screenshots circulated online, the pop-up read: "A law banning TikTok has been enacted in the U.S. Unfortunately, that means you can't use TikTok for now."
It also highlighted that President-elect Donald Trump will work with the app "on a solution to reinstate TikTok once he takes office".
TikTok has officially gone down for users in the US. pic.twitter.com/PcKzSqZVyE
— chart data (@chartdata) January 19, 2025
According to ABC News, it was not clear how many users were exactly affected by the block.
There are reportedly 170 million TikTok users in the U.S..
New users are also unable to download the app to their devices.
The Associated Press reported that the law also disallows mobile app stores and internet hosting services from offering TikTok to those in America.
Those found guilty of violating the law may be fined up to US$5,000 (S$6,843) for each user who is still able to access the app.
According to experts, the law however does not require TikTok to take down its platform in the U.S.
It is not clear if the company disabled the app on its own or was unable to continue the service alive after access support from tech providers was also terminated.
TikTok had reportedly not responded to queries about its plans moving forward.
On Jan. 17, the U.S. Supreme Court had unanimously upheld the TikTok ban law requiring the app's parent company ByteDance to divest itself from TikTok.
This meant that it will be banned on Jan. 19 if it could not find a buyer mutually acceptable to the governments of the U.S., China, and ByteDance.
Trump likely to give TikTok a 90-day reprieve
Trump had said on Jan. 18 that he would "most likely" give TikTok a 90-day reprieve from the ban, reported Reuters.
He added that the extension is "appropriate" and that he may announce it after he takes office on Jan. 20.
Other apps under ByteDance have also been made unavailable in the U.S.
This includes video editing app CapCut, and lifestyle app Lemon8.
In a White House press statement on Jan. 17, White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said that that the timing of the court's judgement meant that there was simply no more time for it to implement the law, and that enforcement would "fall to the next administration".
She noted that President Joe Biden's stance on the ban, that TikTok should "remain available to Americans but simply under American ownership" or "other ownership that addresses the national security concerns identified by Congress".
Top photos via Unsplash & Chart Data/X
