TikTok goes dark across America as federal ban takes effect

Millions of American users lost access to TikTok Saturday night as the Chinese-owned video app disappeared from major app stores, marking a historic shift in US social media landscape.

The shutdown follows Congress's passage of legislation requiring ByteDance, TikTok's parent company, to sell the platform to non-Chinese owners or cease US operations. ByteDance maintained that such a sale would be impossible, leading to the app's removal from both Apple's App Store and Google Play Store.

A message greeted users attempting to access the platform: "A law banning TikTok has been enacted in the U.S. Unfortunately, that means you can't use TikTok for now." The notice referenced potential relief under incoming president Donald Trump, who takes office Monday.

The Supreme Court's ruling two days before the deadline upheld the ban's constitutionality, despite TikTok's arguments that blocking the platform would violate free speech rights of its 170 million American users.

Trump, who initiated the first attempted TikTok ban in 2020, has indicated he may grant a 90-day extension after taking office.

Without regular updates, experts say the app will gradually deteriorate, facing increased technical issues and security vulnerabilities. Meanwhile, users have begun migrating to alternative platforms, with Chinese app RedNote emerging as a surprising beneficiary over established competitors like YouTube Shorts and Instagram Reels.

The White House maintains that TikTok should remain available to Americans, but only under US ownership - a position that leaves the door open for future negotiations as the platform's fate hangs in balance.