TikTok is over in the US: The Popular Chinese Social Network is blocked

Abdullah Mustapha

January 19, 2025

TikTok, the popular video app, is now unavailable in the U.S. Millions of users can no longer view new videos. When logging in, users see a message: “Sorry, TikTok is currently unavailable. The US has passed a law banning TikTok. Unfortunately, this means you can’t use TikTok for now. We’re fortunate that President Trump has made it clear he will work with us to restore TikTok once he takes office. Please stay tuned!”

TikTok Faces Ban in the United States: What’s Happening and What Comes Next

In addition, TikTok has been removed from the App Store and Google Play. Other ByteDance apps, like CapCut and Lemon8, were also taken down.

Why Was TikTok Banned?

The ban began with concerns over national security. On April 20, 2024, the U.S. House of Representatives passed a law. It required ByteDance to sell TikTok to continue operating in the U.S. Soon after, President John Biden signed the law. The law gave ByteDance 270 days to sell its U.S. operations.

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On January 17, 2025, the U.S. Supreme Court upheld the ban. The court agreed that TikTok’s data practices posed risks to national security. With the deadline expired, TikTok’s operations in the U.S. have been shut down.

ByteDance Hopes for a Solution

Despite the ban, ByteDance remains hopeful. In an internal memo, the company assured employees that efforts to restore TikTok are ongoing. The memo stated, “President Trump has made it clear that he will work with us on a solution to restore TikTok once he takes office on January 20. Teams are working tirelessly to bring our app back to the U.S. as soon as possible.”

Read Also: TikTok Denies Rumors of Sale to Elon Musk

This statement reflects ByteDance’s belief in a political resolution. However, the timeline for TikTok’s return is uncertain.

The Impact on U.S. Users

TikTok has 170 million active users in the U.S. The app is hugely popular, influencing culture, trends, and entertainment. Its absence leaves a gap for both users and creators.

While the situation is unclear, ByteDance is committed to finding a solution. TikTok’s popularity suggests the company will work hard to restore it. For now, U.S. users can only wait and see what happens next.

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Theverge, Ixbt