TikTok stops working in the US as ban takes effect

President-elect Donald Trump says he may grant the platform a reprieve on Monday

TikTok is no longer available to users in the US. EPA

TikTok users in the US are no longer able to access the app, as it was taken offline hours before a new law banning the social media platform was set to take effect.

The ban on the platform is enforced on January 19 in the US.

“A law banning TikTok has been enacted in the US. Unfortunately, that means you can't use TikTok for now,” the notification received by users said.

“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,” it added.

TikTok has gone offline in the US, hours before a new law banning the platform was due to come into effect. Cody Combs / The National

The move comes after US president-elect Donald Trump said on Saturday that he would “most likely” give the platform a 90-day reprieve from the ban after he takes office on Monday.

“The 90-day extension is something that will be most likely done, because it's appropriate,” Mr Trump told NBC. “If I decide to do that, I'll probably announce it on Monday.”

On Sunday, Mr Trump announced his intention to issue an executive order after taking office on Monday, allowing TikTok to continue its operations. Additionally, he expressed his desire for the US to hold a 50 per cent ownership stake in a potential joint venture.

“I will issue an executive order on Monday to extend the period of time before the law’s prohibitions take effect, so that we can make a deal to protect our national security” Mr Trump said on his Truth Social platform. "The order will also confirm that there will be no liability for any company that helped keep TikTok from going dark before my order."

Meanwhile, Apple also announced on Sunday that TikTok and ByteDance apps are no longer available in the US and that visitors to the country might have limited access to features.

Affected platforms include TikTok, TikTok Studio, TikTok Shop Seller Center, CapCut, Lemon8, Hypic, Lark – Team Collaboration, Lark – Rooms Display, Lark Rooms Controller, Gauth: AI Study Companion and Marvel Snap.

"Apple is obligated to follow the laws in the jurisdictions where it operates," it said.

For those who already have these apps installed on their devices, the apps will remain. However, they cannot be redownloaded if deleted or restored. In-app purchases and new subscriptions are no longer possible, Apple said.

The US Supreme Court on Friday backed the decision banning Chinese-owned TikTok unless it is sold to a US-based company.

Earlier this month, the Supreme Court heard arguments from ByteDance, the Chinese parent company of TikTok, as it sought to make the case that a law which would force it to sell the platform to a US entity was unconstitutional.

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"TikTok’s scale and susceptibility to foreign adversary control, together with the vast swathes of sensitive data the platform collects, justify differential treatment to address the government’s national security concerns," read the unanimous decision by the US Supreme Court on Friday.

"A law targeting any other speaker would by necessity entail a distinct inquiry and separate considerations. On this understanding, we cannot accept petitioners’ call for strict scrutiny. No more than intermediate scrutiny is in order."

With about 170 million monthly active users in the US, TikTok is one of the most influential social media apps in the country.

While TikTok has experienced tremendous growth over the past few years, its data collection practices have caused much consternation among various data experts, elected officials and those tasked with ensuring US national security. Some have pointed out that although much of the TikTok's user data is now stored on US servers, ByteDance is still subject to the laws of China, which could give the Chinese government access to an unprecedented trove of US user data.

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TikTok and ByteDance have repeatedly dismissed those concerns and denied that any US user data is in danger of being compromised. The company moved much of its user data to US-based servers run by Oracle, but ultimately critics and elected officials have pointed out that because ByteDance is subject to the laws of China, there is still a national security risk.

In April last year, in a bipartisan vote, Congress passed a law that sought to force ByteDance to sell TikTok to a US individual or entity, or risk being banned by January 19. ByteDance has repeatedly said it will not sell TikTok, and plans to go dark in the US on the deadline.

Mr Trump, who as president in 2020, issued an executive order emphasising user data concerns related to TikTok because its parent company was based in China, has since changed his stance.

He joined the platform during his presidential campaign last year, quickly gaining millions of followers.

TikTok's chief executive, Shou Zi Chew, plans to attend Mr Trump’s inauguration in some capacity, along with the heads of other technology companies.