TikTok has been officially banned in the U.S., effectively blocking access for users within the country. Attempts to open the app now result in a message stating, "Sorry, TikTok isn't available right now. 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! In the meantime, you can still download your data."
Despite a final appeal to the U.S. Supreme Court, the ban was upheld. While acknowledging TikTok's popularity and role as a platform for expression and community engagement for over 170 million Americans, the court cited national security concerns regarding data collection practices and the app's relationship with a foreign adversary as justification for the ban. The court's statement emphasized that Congress deemed divestiture necessary to address these concerns, concluding that the ban doesn't violate First Amendment rights.
TikTok expresses hope for reinstatement by President Trump after his inauguration on January 20th, but confirmation remains pending. President Trump did suggest a potential 90-day delay in an interview with NBC News on January 18th, potentially allowing time for a U.S. or allied buyer to acquire the app. This acquisition, however, hasn't materialized, leading to the current ban. Consequently, other apps linked to TikTok's parent company, ByteDance, including CapCut, Lemon8, and even Marvel Snap, have also been deactivated.
