TikTok ban in US: App pulled from Play Store and App Store, services officially halted for users
TikTok's US operations were shut down after ByteDance failed to comply with a deadline to divest.
Users are receiving a message stating the app is unavailable due to the ban.
TikTok is hopeful for a deal with President-elect Trump, who may extend negotiations.
TikTok ban in the United States: After much speculation and deliberation, TikTok has officially ceased operations in the United States.Popular social media platform which was previously banned in India was used by over 170 million Americans just as the official implementation of a federal ban was set to take effect. The application has already been removed from the App Store and Google Play Store for users in the United States.
Taking to the social media platforms, the users who are trying to access the platform are getting “Sorry, TikTok isn’t available right now. A law banning TikTok has been enacted in the US. Unfortunately, that means you can’t use TikTok for now.”
TikTok’s operations were scrutinized due to concerns about national security, data privacy, and the Chinese parent company, ByteDance. This has been a hot topic in political and legal debates.
This comes after ByteDance was given nine months to comply with President Joe Biden’s order last year to sell off its US operations. However, because of the company’s noncompliance, the law now prohibits app marketplaces and internet hosting services from making TikTok available to US users.
The TikTok ban in the United States has sparked widespread debate, with Americans expressing concerns about national security, privacy, and freedom.
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It’s interesting to note that the business still has faith in Donald Trump, the president-elect, who will take office on January 20. “We are lucky that President Trump has said he will collaborate with us to find a way to bring TikTok back once he takes office. Please stay tuned,” the company stated in a message.
On the other hand, Trump has hinted at extending TikTok negotiations for three months, giving the company a chance to comply. There has been no official confirmation from Trump as to whether TikTok will be granted a temporary extension or remain banned. TikTok CEO Shou Zi Chew has been invited to Trump’s inauguration ceremony, where he will reportedly sit in the position of honor, implying a possible extension.
The TikTok ban comes after Congress ordered its Chinese parent company, ByteDance, to sell its US operations. While the president can extend the deadline if the sale is still ongoing, TikTok has been in talks with companies such as Perplexity AI, which proposed a merger that would allow ByteDance to maintain control.
Ashish Singh
Ashish Singh is the Chief Copy Editor at Digit. Previously, he worked as a Senior Sub-Editor with Jagran English from 2022, and has been a journalist since 2020, with experience at Times Internet. Ashish specializes in Technology. In his free time, you can find him exploring new gadgets, gaming, and discovering new places. View Full Profile