In a shocking development, TikTok has gone completely dark in the United States. This follows the enforcement of a "ban-or-divest" law passed last year, requiring ByteDance, TikTok’s parent company, to sell its stake in the platform or face a ban. As of now, TikTok has been removed from Apple and Google app stores, is unavailable on the web, and users are unable to access videos.
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The shutdown affects 170 million U.S. users, marking the first time a social media platform of this scale has been abruptly taken offline. ByteDance had hoped to avoid this outcome, even filing a lawsuit against the U.S., but it lost a Supreme Court case earlier this week, solidifying the ban.
Amid political back-and-forth, TikTok sent a message to its users and employees, explaining that it is working on a resolution. Notably, the company stated that former President Donald Trump, who is set to reassume office, has expressed willingness to collaborate on a plan to reinstate TikTok in the U.S. A 90-day extension for ByteDance to divest has also been floated as a potential solution, but no concrete measures have been taken.
The ban has had a ripple effect, with other ByteDance-owned apps, such as the video editor CapCut and social platform Lemon8, also becoming unavailable.
This move underscores ongoing tensions between U.S. lawmakers and TikTok, driven by concerns over national security and data privacy. However, TikTok’s popularity and cultural significance mean that its absence is already being felt across the U.S. While ByteDance and U.S. leaders remain locked in negotiations, the future of TikTok in the country hangs in the balance.
Will TikTok make a comeback? For now, its millions of U.S. users can only wait and hope for a resolution.
