TikTok has stopped working in the US, reports Reuters. This means people in the US can no longer use the popular short-video platform. After months of legal battles, the US Supreme Court on Friday, January 17 approved a law to ban TikTok, citing national security concerns. TikTok users in the US now see this message when they open the app:
“A law banning TikTok has been enacted in the U.S. 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. Please stay tuned”.
Why US banned TikTok
US officials have raised concerns about TikTok, claiming it poses a national security risk. They believe the Chinese government could use the app to spy on Americans or secretly influence public opinion by controlling what content is shown or hidden.
The worry stems from Chinese national security laws that require companies to assist with intelligence activities. FBI Director Christopher Wray told Congress last year that the Chinese government could potentially access and compromise Americans’ devices through TikTok’s software.
These concerns led the US Congress to pass a law banning TikTok unless its Chinese parent company, ByteDance, sold it to a buyer approved by the U.S. government. President Joe Biden signed the law in April 2024, giving ByteDance until January 19 to sell TikTok. However, ByteDance’s attempt to challenge the law in court failed. On December 6, a panel of three federal judges unanimously ruled against TikTok, rejecting its argument that the law violated free speech rights under the First Amendment.
The Supreme Court unanimously rejected TikTok’s appeal on January 17, resulting in the ban coming into effect on January 19.
What’s next for TikTok
The future of TikTok in the U.S. remains uncertain. Over time, the app is expected to stop functioning properly, as updates and support from app stores like Apple and Google would be blocked under the new law. Eventually, TikTok could become completely unusable in the country.
All eyes are now on President-elect Donald Trump, who is set to take office on January 20. In a statement to NBC recently, Trump referred to the TikTok situation as a “very big situation” and said he is planning to push back a potential TikTok ban for 90 days.
Until then, TikTok users and businesses that relied on the app for growth face an uncertain future, as the app has already stopped working in the US.