A law signed by US President Joe Biden forced TikTok, which is owned by Chinese company ByteDance, to be sold or be banned by today. President-elect Donald Trump suggested he might make an announcement on the app’s future tomorrow – the same day of his inauguration.
TikTok users in the US are opening the app to find a message saying they “can’t use” the social media platform “for now” due to a law enacted in Washington.
A ban on the app was due to take effect today after outgoing President Joe Biden signed a law last year requiring ByteDance, TikTok’s China-based parent company, to divest TikTok on national security grounds or face a ban in one of its biggest markets.
The app was no longer appearing on either Apple or Google’s app stores.
“A law banning TikTok has been enacted in the US. Unfortunately that means you can’t use TikTok for now,” the message in the app being used by US users reads.
“We are fortunate that President [Donald] Trump has indicated that he will work with us on a solution to reinstate TikTok once he takes office. Please stay tuned!”
It comes after Mr Trump, who will be inaugurated as the 47th president in Washington DC tomorrow, said TikTok would “most likely” be handed a 90-day reprieve from the ban.
While President Biden said he did not intend to enforce the legislation, ByteDance said the app “will be forced to go dark” today after a Supreme Court ruling unanimously upheld the ban.
Disgruntled TikTok users flocked to other social media platforms, such as X, to express their disappointment at the app not working anymore, saying for business purposes, other apps couldn’t compare.
