TikTok Shuts Down In The U.S.

TikTok’s app was removed from prominent app stores on Saturday evening just before as a federal law that bans the popular social media platform went into effect.

By 10:50pm Eastern Standard Time, the app was not found on Apple and Google’s app stores, which are prohibited from offering the platform under a law that required TikTok’s China-based parent company, ByteDance, to sell the platform or face a U.S. ban.

When users opened the TikTok app on Saturday evening, they encountered a pop-up message from the company that prevented them from scrolling on videos.

“A law banning TikTok has been enacted in the U.S.,” the message said. “Unfortunately that means you can’t use TikTok for now.”

“We are fortunate that President Trump has indicated that he will work with us on a solution to reinstate TikTok once he takes office,” the message said. “Please stay tuned!”

The US Supreme Court upheld a law on Friday to ban TikTok unless its Chinese-based parent company, ByteDance, divests from the app. The court ruled that the divest-or-ban ultimatum does not violate the company’s First Amendment rights in the US Constitution.

The White House said that the Chinese social media app should remain available in the US, but under American ownership to address national security concerns.

President-elect Donald Trump, who has shown sympathy for TikTok, will return to the White House on Monday to begin his second term, one day after the deadline for TikTok to divest.

Trump urged the top court to delay the decision for negotiations. TikTok CEO Shou Zi Chew is expected to attend Trump’s inauguration.

The bipartisan law, passed by Congress and signed by Biden in April, gave ByteDance 270 days to divest or face a ban.