TikTok

TikTok no longer available for US users ahead of ban

TikTok said it will have to “go dark” this weekend unless the outgoing Biden administration assures the company it won’t enforce a shutdown of the popular app

NBC Universal, Inc.

With the deadline for a potential ban hours away, TikTok was no longer available to many U.S. users late Saturday.

"A law banning TikTok has been enacted in the U.S. Unfortunately, that means you can't use TikTok right now," a pop-up alert to users read. "We are fortunate that President Trump has indicated he will work with us on a solution to reinstate TikTok once he takes office. Stay tuned!"

The message came hours after some users encountered a difference notice.

"We regret that a U.S. law banning TikTok will take effect on January 19 and force us to make our services temporarily unavailable," the earlier message read. "We're working to restore service in the U.S. as soon as possible, and we appreciate your support. Please stay tuned."

 TikTok said it will have to “go dark” this weekend unless the outgoing Biden administration assures the company it won’t enforce a shutdown of the popular app after the Supreme Court on Friday unanimously upheld the federal law banning the app unless it’s sold by its China-based parent company.

The Supreme Court in its ruling held that the risk to national security posed by TikTok’s ties to China overcomes concerns about limiting speech by the app or its 170 million users in the United States.

The decision came against the backdrop of unusual political agitation by President-elect Donald Trump, who vowed that he could negotiate a solution, and the administration of President Joe Biden, which has signaled it won’t enforce the law — which was passed with overwhelming bipartisan support — beginning Sunday, his final full day in office.

TikTok released a statement late Friday saying “statements issued today by both the Biden White House and the Department of Justice have failed to provide the necessary clarity and assurance to the service providers that are integral to maintaining TikTok’s availability to over 170 million Americans.”

“Unless the Biden Administration immediately provides a definitive statement to satisfy the most critical service providers assuring non-enforcement, unfortunately TikTok will be forced to go dark on January 19,” the statement said.

 Trump said in an interview with NBC News that he was considering granting an extension that might allow TikTok to keep going beyond Sunday.

It’s unclear what options are open to Trump, a Republican, once he is sworn in as president. The law allowed for a 90-day pause in the restrictions on the app if there had been progress toward a sale before it took effect. Solicitor General Elizabeth Prelogar, who defended the law at the Supreme Court for the Democratic Biden administration, told the justices last week that it’s uncertain whether the prospect of a sale once the law is in effect could trigger a 90-day respite for TikTok.

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