- Trump indicated he would work with us to find a solution: TikTok
- A 90-day extension will most likely be granted, the president-elect said.
- The White House says it’s up to the new administration to act.
WASHINGTON: TikTok stopped working in the United States on Saturday evening and disappeared from the Apple and Google app stores in anticipation of a law that takes effect on Sunday requiring the shutdown of the app used by 170 million Americans.
President-elect Donald Trump said earlier in the day that he would “most likely” grant TikTok a 90-day reprieve after taking office on Monday, a promise TikTok cited in a notice posted to the app’s users.
TikTok, which is owned by Chinese company ByteDance, told users trying to use the app around 10:45 p.m. ET (0345 GMT): “A law banning TikTok has been enacted in the United States. Unfortunately, this means that you cannot use TikTok at this time “We are fortunate that President Trump has indicated that he will work with us on a solution to restore TikTok once he takes office. “
Other ByteDance-owned apps, including video editing app Capcut and social lifestyle app Lemon8, were also offline and unavailable in US app stores on Saturday evening.
“The 90-day extension is something that will most likely be done, because it is appropriate,” Trump said. BNC. “If I decide to do it, I will probably announce it on Monday.”
It was unclear whether U.S. users could still access the app, but it no longer worked for many users and people seeking to access it through a web app received the same message that TikTok was no longer working.
TikTok, which has captivated nearly half of Americans, fueled small businesses and shaped online culture, warned Friday that it would go dark in the United States on Sunday unless President Joe Biden’s administration provides the assurance to companies such as Apple and Google that they will not face this problem. coercive measures when a ban takes effect.
Under a law passed last year and upheld Friday by a unanimous Supreme Court, the platform has until Sunday to sever ties with its China-based parent company, ByteDance, or shut down its operations in the states. -United to address concerns that it poses a threat to national security.
The White House reiterated Saturday that it is up to the new administration to act.
“We see no reason for TikTok or other companies to take action in the coming days, before the Trump administration takes office on Monday,” press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said in a statement.
TikTok did not respond to a request for comment on the new White House statement.
The Chinese Embassy in Washington said Friday that the United States was using unjust state power to remove TikTok. “China will take all necessary measures to resolutely safeguard its legitimate rights and interests,” a spokesperson said.
Users are turning to alternatives
Uncertainty about the app’s future has pushed users – mostly young people – to turn to alternatives, including China-based RedNote. Rivals Meta and Snap had also seen their shares rise this month before the ban, as investors bet on an influx of users and advertising dollars.
“This is my new home now,” one user wrote in a RedNote post, marked with the words “tiktokrefugee” and “sad.”
Minutes after TikTok shut down in the United States, other users took to X, formerly called Twitter.
“I didn’t really think they would stop TikTok. Now I’m sad and I miss the friends I made there. I hope it all comes back in a few days,” @RavenclawJedi wrote.
Marketing companies that rely on TikTok rushed to prepare contingency plans this week in what one executive described as a “fire” moment after months of conventional wisdom saying a solution would materialize to keep the application running.
There have been signs that TikTok could make a comeback under Trump, who has said he wants to seek a “political resolution” to the problem and last month urged the Supreme Court to halt implementation of the ban.
TikTok CEO Shou Zi Chew plans to attend the US presidential inauguration and attend a rally with Trump on Sunday, a source said. Reuters.
Suitors, including former Los Angeles Dodgers owner Frank McCourt, have expressed interest in the fast-growing company, which analysts say could be worth as much as $50 billion. Media reports say Beijing has also held discussions about selling TikTok’s US operations to billionaire and Trump ally Elon Musk, although the company has denied this.
US search engine startup Perplexity AI submitted an offer to ByteDance on Saturday to merge Perplexity with TikTok US, a source familiar with the company’s plans said. Reuters. Perplexity would merge with TikTok US and create a new entity by combining the merged company with other partners, the person added.
Privately held ByteDance is approximately 60% owned by institutional investors such as BlackRock and General Atlantic, while its founders and employees each own 20%. It has more than 7,000 employees in the United States.
