Millions of TikTok users across the United States were left stunned late Saturday night when the popular video-sharing app became inaccessible. When users tried to open TikTok, they were met with a message that read, "Sorry, TikTok isn't available right now." The message explained that US lawmakers had enacted the ban, making the app temporarily inaccessible.
It also reassured users that Donald Trump - who is set to take over as President - was interested in working toward a solution to bring the app back once he took office, urging them to "stay tuned." TikTok also disappeared from the Apple and Google Play stores.
Why is TikTok under fire?
TikTok is under fire primarily due to national security concerns. The US government is worried that ByteDance, TikTok's Chinese parent company, may share user data with the Chinese government, posing a risk to American users. TikTok denies accusations that it collects more user data than other social media platforms, calling the ban "misinformation" and claiming they were made without evidence or proper discussion.
Though TikTok is owned by ByteDance, it insists that it operates independently and does not share user data with the Chinese government.
Read: "Let US Own 50% TikTok": Trump After App Restores Service
Why was TikTok banned in US?
The shutdown occurred due to a law passed by Congress last year, with bipartisan support, that led to the suspension of TikTok's service ahead of a scheduled ban on Sunday. The law raised national security concerns due to TikTok's ties to China and mandated that ByteDance either sell its stake in TikTok or face a ban in the US. The law set a January 19 deadline, just a day before the new president was set to take office. With no sign of a sale, TikTok's final legal challenge was rejected when the Supreme Court ruled on Friday that the law did not violate the First Amendment.
The Biden administration chose to leave enforcement to President-elect Donald Trump, who promised to find a way to "save" TikTok. In an NBC News interview on Saturday, Trump confirmed he was considering a 90-day extension of the deadline, which he deemed "appropriate." He hinted that he might announce the decision on Monday. The law grants the president the authority to extend the deadline by up to 90 days under certain circumstances.
Is the TikTok ban lifted?
On Sunday, during a "victory rally", part of his three-day inauguration event, Trump declared, "As of today, TikTok is back." Speaking to the crowd in DC, he said, "We have no choice, we have to save it." Trump also suggested that the US would own 50 per cent of the company through a "joint venture," and "make a lot of money."
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