TikTok has gone offline in the US, just hours before a new law banning the platform was set to take effect. The app’s US users are now met with a message stating that a law banning TikTok has been enacted, rendering the service temporarily unavailable.
The ban stems from concerns over TikTok’s ties to the Chinese government, with the US demanding that the app’s China-based parent company, ByteDance, sell the platform to an approved US buyer by January 19. However, ByteDance has not complied, leading to the ban.
In a surprising twist, President-elect Donald Trump has hinted that he may grant TikTok a 90-day reprieve from the ban, stating that “the 90-day extension is something that will be most likely done, because it’s appropriate”.
Meanwhile, in the UK, a government minister has assured that there are no plans to ban TikTok, unless a threat to British interests is identified. The app was previously banned from UK Parliament and government devices in 2023 due to security concerns.
It’s worth noting that TikTok has argued that the US ban violates free speech protections for its 170 million users in the country. The platform’s chief executive, Shou Zi Chew, has appealed to Trump to work towards finding a solution
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