TikTok is no longer accessible in the U.S. as of late Saturday night, shortly before a nationwide ban on ByteDance’s popular social media app took effect, though President-elect Donald Trump has suggested he will delay the ban after his return to the White House on Monday.
Key Takeaways
- Visitors to TikTok’s mobile app and website as of 11 p.m. EST Saturday were greeted with the message: “Sorry, TikTok isn’t available right now” due to a “law banning TikTok.”
- The message went on to say: “We are fortunate that President Trump has indicated that he will work with us on a solution to reinstate TikTok once he takes office.”
- The platform shut itself off minutes before a nationwide ban—passed by Congress last year and signed by President Joe Biden—kicked in on Sunday, effectively barring app stores and internet service providers from offering access to TikTok.
- TikTok previously said Friday the app would “go dark” barring any intervention from the Biden administration, which signaled any actions implementing a ban on TikTok would “fall to the next administration” while saying the app “should remain available to Americans.”
Could Trump Delay The Ban?
Trump told NBC News a 90-day extension of the ban is “something that will most likely be done.” The reprieve—pushing back a deadline for a U.S.-based entity to purchase TikTok—would “probably” come on Monday, Trump said. The law banning the app nationwide allows the president to issue a one-time extension of 90 days if they determine TikTok has made “significant progress” toward a sale.
Who Could Buy It?
Several companies, billionaires and investors have expressed interest in buying TikTok.
Former Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin said in March 2024 he planned to “put together a group” to buy the app, later saying he had contacted “a lot of tech companies” about buying TikTok.
Rumble, the video-sharing platform, also offered to buy TikTok in March 2024, saying the company was “ready to join a consortium with other parties,” though neither Rumble nor CEO Chris Pavlovski disclosed details about the bid. Billionaire Frank McCourt’s internet advocacy group Project Liberty announced it submitted a proposal to buy TikTok’s U.S.-based assets, with backing from “Shark Tank” investor Kevin O’Leary, Guggenheim Securities and others.
O’Leary later said he put $20 billion “on the table” to buy the app. Chinese government officials have reportedly expressed interest in selling TikTok to Elon Musk because of the Tesla CEO’s tight relationship with Trump.
How Much Is It Worth?
Dan Ives, an analyst for Wedbush Securities, said in a recent note TikTok would likely be valued between $40 billion and $50 billion.
How Can You Save Your Favourite TikTok Videos?
Unclear. TikTok is no longer accessible to U.S. users, so it’s unclear if there will be a way to save videos unless the app is restored. The company says users can still log in to download their own data, however.
Can I Use A Vpn To Access TikTok?
Accessing TikTok while using a virtual private network, or VPN, is “likely” as they mask a user’s true location, the New York Times reported.
Can I Still Use Lemon8 Or RedNote?
No. The law enforcing the ban or sale of TikTok also applies to Lemon8, a sister app also developed by ByteDance. RedNote, a Chinese social media app that became increasingly popular as a TikTok alternative in the lead-up to the ban, will also likely be impacted by the law, which prohibits all apps developed by foreign adversaries like China from being hosted on U.S. app stores.
Key Background
President Joe Biden signed the ban into law in April 2024, following years of bipartisan scrutiny over the app amid data privacy concerns and alleged links to the Chinese government. The Supreme Court upheld the ban on Friday, ruling the law does not violate the First Amendment rights of the app and upholding the federal government’s national security concerns. Forbes previously reported TikTok spied on journalists, promoted Chinese propaganda on the app, mishandled personal user information like Social Security numbers and tracked “sensitive words.”
TikTok has denied any wrongdoing or having any links to the Chinese government, claiming in a lawsuit the law infringes on the company’s First Amendment rights. The company has said the ban was “simply not possible: not commercially, not technologically, not legally.” Trump, who supported a ban on the app during his first administration, now says he is opposed to the ban and called on the Supreme Court to block the ban before he spoke about a possible extension on Saturday.
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