TikTok has gone offline within the US, hours earlier than a brand new legislation banning the platform was as a result of come into impact.
A message showing on the app for US customers stated a legislation banning TikTok had been enacted, which means “you’ll be able to’t use TikTok for now”.
“We’re lucky that President Trump has indicated that he’ll work with us on an answer to reinstate TikTok as soon as he takes workplace,” it learn.
It comes after the social media platform warned it could “go darkish” on Sunday except the outgoing Biden administration gave assurances the ban won’t be enforced.
President-elect Donald Trump has stated he would “almost certainly” give TikTok a 90-day reprieve from a ban as soon as he takes workplace on Monday.
Customers reported the app had additionally been faraway from each Apple and Google’s US app shops and TikTok.com was not exhibiting movies.
“The 90-day extension is one thing that will likely be almost certainly finished, as a result of it is applicable,” Trump instructed NBC Information on Saturday.
“If I determine to do this, I am going to in all probability announce it on Monday.”
The White Home stated that it was as much as the incoming administration to take motion.
“We see no purpose for TikTok or different corporations to take actions within the subsequent few days earlier than the Trump administration takes workplace on Monday,” press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre stated in a press release.
The Supreme Courtroom on Friday upheld the legislation, handed in April final yr, banning the app within the US except its China-based father or mother firm, ByteDance, bought the platform by Sunday, which it has not finished.
TikTok has argued that the legislation violates free speech protections for its 170 million customers within the nation.
After the ruling, TikTok’s chief government, Shou Zi Chew, appealed to Trump, thanking him for his “dedication to work with us to discover a resolution.”
Mr Chew is anticipated to attend Trump’s inauguration on Monday.
Within the hours main up to the social media platform going offline, content material creators had been posting movies to say goodbye to their followers.
Creator Nicole Bloomgarden instructed the BBC that not being on TikTok would end in a big wage reduce.
One other consumer, Erika Thompson, stated academic content material on the platform could be the “greatest loss” for the group.
TikTok customers have been met with a message earlier on Saturday that stated the legislation would “power us to make our companies briefly unavailable. We’re working to revive our service within the U.S. as quickly as doable.”
