“Sorry, TikTok isn’t obtainable proper now,” the message learn.
Hours earlier than a federal law banning TikTok from the United States was set to take impact on Sunday, the Chinese language-owned social media app went darkish, and U.S. customers may now not entry movies on the platform. As an alternative, the app greeted them with a message that mentioned “a legislation banning TikTok has been enacted.”
“We’re lucky that President Trump has indicated that he’ll work with us on an answer,” the message mentioned. “Please keep tuned!”
TikTok additionally appeared to have been faraway from Apple and Google’s U.S. app shops, some customers mentioned. As well as, TikTok’s sister app, Lemon8, stopped working and confirmed U.S. customers a message saying that it “isn’t obtainable proper now.” Each TikTok and Lemon8 are owned by ByteDance, a Chinese language web large.
TikTok turned unavailable after the Supreme Court decision on Friday upholding the law, which requires ByteDance to promote the app by Sunday or in any other case face a ban. The legislation was handed overwhelmingly by Congress final 12 months and signed by President Biden. TikTok, which has confronted nationwide safety considerations for its Chinese language ties, had believed it may win its authorized problem to the legislation, however failed.
The blackout capped a chaotic stretch for TikTok, which had made last-minute pleas to each the Biden administration and President-elect Donald J. Trump for a method out of the legislation. Till Saturday night time, nobody — together with the U.S. authorities — was solely positive what would occur to it when the legislation took impact. The US has by no means blocked an app utilized by tens of tens of millions of People primarily in a single day.
The legislation has a provision to penalize app retailer operators like Apple and Google and web internet hosting firms like Oracle for distributing or sustaining the TikTok app. Underneath the legislation, these firms face penalties as excessive as $5,000 per person who can entry the app.
TikTok, Apple and Oracle didn’t instantly reply to requests for remark. Google declined to remark.
For TikTok and ByteDance, the developments are a major blow. TikTok has roughly 170 million U.S. customers, who’re among the app’s most profitable prospects. In authorized filings, TikTok has mentioned that even a short lived disappearance may kneecap it, with customers and creators leaving for different platforms and by no means returning even when a ban was lifted.
The scenario was additional difficult by the legislation’s begin date falling within the ultimate days of Mr. Biden’s presidency. A White Home spokeswoman prompt on Saturday that the Biden administration wouldn’t begin fining firms on Sunday.
“We see no motive for TikTok or different firms to take actions within the subsequent few days earlier than the Trump administration takes workplace on Monday,” Karine Jean-Pierre, the White Home press secretary, mentioned in an announcement. “We’ve got laid out our place clearly and straightforwardly: actions to implement this legislation will fall to the following administration.”
Spokesmen for the White Home and the Division of Justice didn’t reply to requests for remark after TikTok went offline.
Mr. Trump mentioned on Saturday he would “almost definitely” discover a option to give TikTok a 90-day extension as soon as he takes workplace on Monday. The legislation provides the president the flexibility to increase the deadline for a sale provided that there’s “vital progress” towards a deal that will put TikTok within the fingers of a non-Chinese language proprietor. It was not clear how that extension may work if the ban had already taken impact.
Mr. Trump has additionally indicated he may signal an govt order to bypass the ban of the app. TikTok’s chief govt, Shou Chew, is expected to attend Mr. Trump’s inauguration on Monday.
On Saturday, the mood on TikTok was somber. Alix Earle, a content material creator with 7.2 million followers who rose to fame on the app in 2022, posted tearful movies mourning the platform.
“I really feel like I’m going By heartbreak,” Ms. Earle wrote in one video. “This platform is greater than an app or a job to me. I’ve so many Reminiscences on right here. I’ve posted each day for the previous 6 years of my life. I’ve shared my mates, household, relationships, private struggles, secrets and techniques.”
Different customers spent their ultimate moments on the app recreating viral dances. The “For You” web page full of montages of customers’ favourite traits and songs, many courting again to the early days of the pandemic, when the app soared in recognition.
By 9 p.m. Jap on Saturday night time, TikTok was exhibiting U.S. customers a pop up message that mentioned the app would quickly cease working.
It mentioned the legislation would “power us to make our companies quickly unavailable.” Shortly thereafter, TikTok went darkish.
Late Saturday night, Ms. Earle discovered solace by showing on a rival social media platform: Instagram.
“I used to be simply not anticipating that for this Saturday night time,” she mentioned of what occurred to TikTok as she livestreamed on Instagram. RedNote, a Chinese language video app that has change into well-liked in current days, wouldn’t change into a long-term substitute, she mentioned.
“We’re simply gonna need to make it somewhat extra enjoyable on right here, that’s what I’m pondering,” she mentioned of Instagram.
On Sunday morning in China, TikTok’s notification to U.S. customers that it could droop service was a trending matter on Weibo, a preferred social media platform just like X.
“This can be a darkish second within the improvement of the web,” Hu Xijin, a former editor in chief of the state-run Global Times, wrote on Weibo. The US had set an instance for “the complete Western world” to silence voices on-line within the identify of nationwide safety, he wrote.
Diao Daming, a professor of worldwide relations at Renmin College of China, referred to as TikTok “the primary large take a look at that Trump 2.0 has to face.” Mr. Trump’s actions on TikTok may take a look at his relationship with “China hawks” in Washington, Mr. Diao wrote in a commentary revealed on state media.
Claire Fu contributed reporting from Seoul. Nico Grant and Tripp Mickle contributed reporting from San Francisco. David McCabe contributed reporting from Washington.
