On Sunday, January 19, 2025, TikTok became inaccessible to millions of U.S. users as a federal ban took effect, following the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision to uphold a law requiring the app’s Chinese parent company, ByteDance, to divest its U.S. operations by this date.
Users attempting to access the app were met with a message stating, “A law banning TikTok has been enacted in the U.S. Unfortunately, that means you can’t use TikTok for now.”
President-elect Donald Trump has indicated he is considering granting TikTok a 90-day extension to continue operations, with an announcement expected on Monday, January 20, 2025, coinciding with his inauguration.
TikTok’s CEO, Shou Chew, is anticipated to attend the inauguration, signaling potential discussions to resolve the platform’s status in the U.S.
The ban stems from national security concerns regarding data collection practices and potential influence by the Chinese government, though no public evidence has been presented to confirm these claims.
In response to the ban, U.S.-based competitors like Instagram Reels and YouTube Shorts may see increased user engagement.