WASHINGTON — TikTok is no longer available to users in the United States on Saturday as a ban on the popular social media platform officially went into effect.
TikTok on Saturday night displayed a message to users who opened the app: “Sorry, TikTok is currently unavailable.”
“A law has been enacted in the United States to ban TikTok,” the message continued. “Unfortunately, that means you won’t be able to use TikTok for now. We’re fortunate that President Trump has indicated he intends to collaborate on a solution to bring TikTok back after he takes office. Stay tuned. !”
A spokesperson for Trump’s transition team did not immediately respond to a request for comment Saturday night about the app’s notification specifically praising the president-elect.
The message then prompted the user to close the app or learn more. The website’s landing page included an additional line in the message informing users that they could still log in and download their data.
The app also appears to have been removed from the Apple and Google app stores in the US and is no longer available for download.
TikTok has 170 million US users.
Other Bytedance apps, including CapCut, Lemon8 and Gauth, displayed similar messages and were also unavailable for many US users on Saturday evening.
TikTok’s shutdown comes after a tense few days of uncertainty for the app until Sunday, when a ban on TikTok is scheduled to go into effect in the United States.
President Joe Biden signed legislation in April that requires ByteDance, TikTok’s Chinese-owned parent company, to sell TikTok to a non-Chinese owner. Otherwise we will ban you from TikTok. The Supreme Court upheld the law on Friday, paving the way for the app to be shut down in the United States.
However, the Biden administration issued a statement on Friday saying enforcement of the law would be left up to the Trump administration. Since the law was enacted, it has become unpopular with users and many Americans, and many TikTok users have begun fleeing to Chinese social media apps.
The Biden administration’s comments that it would not enforce the ban, which is scheduled to go into effect Sunday, created uncertainty about whether the app would become unavailable to Americans or remain online.
Lawmakers on both sides of the aisle have accused TikTok of being a threat to national security because it is owned by a Chinese company. Critics of TikTok have argued that the Chinese government could use the app to access Americans’ data and influence the type of content they watch.
But the company dismissed lawmakers’ concerns, portraying the impending ban as a free speech and censorship issue. TikTok CEO Shou Zi Chew said the app is safe and secure.
The future of this app is by no means certain. Earlier Saturday, President-elect Donald Trump told NBC News’ Kristen Welker it was “likely” that ByteDance would either sell the app or extend Sunday’s deadline to ban TikTok in the United States by 90 days. Ta.
“The 90-day extension is appropriate and will most likely be implemented,” Trump said.
President Trump has repeatedly changed his stance on TikTok. In 2020, he said he wanted to ban the app. Years later, Trump reversed his stance and created his own TikTok account during the 2024 presidential campaign. In one video, Trump said he would “save TikTok.”
In a video message posted to TikTok on Friday, Chu thanked President Trump and said the president-elect is a strong supporter of TikTok. Chu cited Trump’s popularity on the app, saying he is the most followed American politician with more than 14 million followers.
Some TikTok users migrated to competing social media platforms to commiserate over the app’s closure.
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One user likened TikTok to the Detroit Lions. Because they were both “eliminated by Washington.”
Opinions remain divided over the app within the Trump administration, with some, like incoming Federal Communications Commission Chairman Brendan Carr, opposing China’s influence on the app, while unofficial government spending oversight Some, like Elon Musk, advocate for TikTok to remain available on the app. Fundamentals of free speech.
On Friday, President Trump posted on Truth Social: “The Supreme Court’s decision was expected and everyone must respect it. My decision regarding TikTok will be made in the not-too-distant future, but I need time to review the situation. stay tuned!”
One way for TikTok to comply with the law and continue operating in the U.S. is to negotiate a sale of the app to a U.S. owner. President Trump may uphold Biden’s decision not to enforce the law, but it is unclear how long that will last.
TikTok users lamented the app’s potential demise earlier this week, with many top creators editing out their most viral moments on the app or asking followers to follow them on other platforms. was. Many TikTok users have flocked to a Chinese app called RedNote in protest against the government, which poses an even bigger security threat than TikTok, according to experts who spoke to NBC News. .