Kathmandu: TikTok, the popular short-video platform, has been shut down in the United States following the enforcement of the “Ban or Divest Law” passed last year. The platform was officially blocked from Sunday onward, marking a significant move in the tech world.
TikTok has been removed from both Apple’s and Google’s app stores in the U.S. Additionally, notices have started appearing on TikTok’s website, indicating the service is no longer accessible via the web.
Users attempting to open the app are unable to view videos, leaving many of the platform’s 170 million American users in limbo. This marks the first instance of such a large-scale shutdown of a globally popular app in the U.S. While temporary outages are common across social media, TikTok’s ban sets a precedent.
The Biden administration has stated that it handed over the responsibility of implementing the law to the Trump administration. TikTok has been required to cease operations in the U.S. until ByteDance, its parent company, provides a clear assurance of compliance with the law.
An internal email from TikTok indicated optimism about the app’s potential reinstatement after President Trump officially assumes office on January 20.
On Saturday night, TikTok and its video editing app, CapCut, began notifying users about the upcoming restrictions.
The shutdown has left millions of American TikTok users frustrated, with its future in the country hanging in the balance.