TikTok Shuts Down In United States As Ban Takes Effect

A new law banning TikTok in the United States has taken effect, just hours after the app stopped functioning for users across the country.

On Saturday night, January 18, U.S. users attempting to access TikTok were greeted with a message stating that the ban was now in place, rendering the app temporarily unavailable.

The message read, “Sorry, TikTok isn’t available right now. A law banning TikTok has been enacted in the U.S. Unfortunately, that means you can’t use TikTok for now.”

The ban stems from concerns over the app’s ties to the Chinese government.

TikTok’s parent company, ByteDance, had until January 19 to sell the platform to a U.S.-approved buyer to avoid the restriction, but no sale occurred.

President Joe Biden had previously indicated that he would leave the matter to his successor, Donald Trump.

Trump, now president-elect, has said he will likely grant TikTok a 90-day extension once he takes office on Monday, January 20.

“The 90-day extension is something that will be most likely done, because it’s appropriate,” Trump told NBC News, adding that a formal announcement could come as early as Monday.

Following the ban, TikTok was removed from Apple and Google app stores in the U.S., and its website ceased displaying videos, in accordance with the law’s provisions.

A message displayed on the app expressed optimism about working with President Trump to find a solution to restore its services.

“We are fortunate that President Trump has indicated that he will work with us on a solution to reinstate TikTok once he takes office,” a message displayed by the app read.

This marks the first time the U.S. has implemented a ban on a major social media platform.

The Supreme Court upheld the law, originally passed in April 2024, requiring ByteDance to sell TikTok by the deadline to avoid the ban.

TikTok argued that the law infringes on free speech rights for its 170 million American users.

TikTok CEO Shou Zi Chew, in response to the ruling, appealed to President Trump for collaboration on resolving the issue.

Chew expressed gratitude for Trump’s willingness to work toward a solution and is expected to attend the president-elect’s inauguration on Monday.

As TikTok prepared to go offline, many creators posted farewell messages to their followers.

Influencer Nicole Bloomgarden told the BBC that losing access to the app would significantly impact her income.

Another user, Erika Thompson, noted that the platform’s educational content would be a major loss for the community.

TikTok’s message to users on Saturday acknowledged the situation: “This law would force us to make our services temporarily unavailable. We’re working to restore our service in the U.S. as soon as possible.”

Meanwhile, the United Kingdom has announced it has no immediate plans to implement a similar ban.

Chief Secretary to the Treasury Darren Jones stated on Sunday that while the government remains cautious about potential threats, they currently see no reason to restrict the app for general consumer use.

He said, “We won’t be following the same path as the Americans unless or until… there is a threat that we are concerned about in the British interest, and then of course we will keep it under review.”

TikTok had previously been banned on UK parliamentary and government devices in 2023 due to security concerns, but Jones downplayed the risks for regular users.

“For consumers who want to post videos of their cats dancing, that doesn’t seem like a security threat to me,” Jones said on the BBC’s “Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg” program.

KanyiDaily recalls that Big Brother Naija reality star, Kiddwaya recently expressed interest in teaming up with Nigerian billionaires to buy the TikTok app.