- TikTok goes offline in the US ahead of a new law enforcing a nationwide ban.
- Supreme Court upholds ruling requiring ByteDance to sell the platform or face restrictions.
- President-elect Trump signals potential 90-day reprieve to resolve the dispute.
TikTok has gone offline in the United States, just hours before a newly enacted law banning the platform was set to take effect.
US users attempting to access the app were met with a message stating that the ban had been enacted, adding, “You can’t use TikTok for now.”
EDITOR’S PICKS
- Osinbajo Speaks on Quitting Politics
- AfDB to Collaborate LAMATA on Development of Lagos 60km Purple Rail Line
- LIRS Sets Deadline for Annual Tax Returns Filing by Employers
The notice also expressed optimism, saying, “We are fortunate that President Trump has indicated he will work with us on a solution to reinstate TikTok once he takes office.”
The shutdown follows TikTok’s warning that it would “go dark” on Sunday unless the outgoing Biden administration provided assurances the ban would not be enforced.
President-elect Donald Trump previously stated he would “most likely” grant TikTok a 90-day reprieve once he assumes office on Monday.
Users also reported that TikTok had been removed from Google’s US App Store, and the platform’s website no longer displayed videos.
FURTHER READING
- US Supreme Court Orders TikTok Ban Starting Sunday
- TikTok Ban: Biden Says Trump Will Decide App’s Future
- ‘America Isn’t It Anymore’ – Rapper DDG Considers Relocating to Lagos Amid LA Wildfires
The Supreme Court recently upheld the law requiring ByteDance, TikTok’s China-based parent company, to sell the US version of the app by January 19 to avoid a ban—a condition the company has not fulfilled.
Passed in April of last year, the law mandates that ByteDance sell the platform to a neutral entity to prevent the app’s prohibition. TikTok has challenged the legislation, claiming it violates the free speech rights of its 170 million US users.
Details shortly…
