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US flag and TikTok logo are seen in this illustration taken on January 8, 2025. — Reuters
#TikTok #shuts #access #Trump #seeks #apps #reinstatement
Washington: TikTok cut off access to its users in the United States over the weekend, shortly before a national ban on the app was imposed, with President-elect Donald Trump unable to intervene until he took office.
A message to users trying to use the app states that “TikTok has been banned in the United States.” “Unfortunately, this means you can’t use TikTok yet.”
“We are fortunate that President Trump has indicated that he will work with us on a solution to restore TikTok once he takes office,” the message added. “Please stay tuned!”
After months of legal wrangling, the US Supreme Court on Friday upheld a law that would have banned the popular video-sharing platform in the name of national security, unless its Chinese owners sell it to non-Chinese buyers by Sunday. They do not enter into an agreement to sell.
From teenage dancers to grandmothers sharing cooking tips, TikTok has been embraced for its ability to turn ordinary users into global celebrities when a video goes viral.
It also has a fan base in Trump, who has credited the app with connecting with young voters, and playing a key role in his election victory in November.
After a chat with Chinese President Xi Jinping on TikTok, Trump told NBC News on Saturday that he could activate a 90-day reprieve after reclaiming the Oval Office.
“I think that would certainly be an option that we’re looking at. A 90-day extension is something that will likely be done, because it’s appropriate,” he said before Monday’s opening. .
“If I decide to do it, I’ll probably announce it on Monday.”
The law allows for a 90-day delay if the White House can show progress toward a viable deal, but TikTok owner ByteDance has flatly denied any sale.
Outgoing President Joe Biden’s administration has said it will leave the matter up to Trump, and White House spokeswoman Karen Jean-Pierre called TikTok’s latest statements a “stunt.”
After the court defeat, TikTok CEO Shu Chiu appealed to Trump, thanking him for his “commitment to work with us to find a solution.”
He added that Trump “actually understands our platform.
Chiu is also scheduled to attend Trump’s inauguration on Monday.
The law requires Apple and Google to remove TikTok from their app stores, blocking new downloads. Companies could face fines of up to $5,000 per user who accesses the app.
Oracle, which hosts TikTok’s servers, will also be legally bound to enforce the ban.
Neither company responded to requests for comment on Saturday.
Offers for TikTok
A last-minute proposal by highly-rated startup Perplexity AI on Saturday offered to merge with TikTok’s US subsidiary. went, a source with knowledge of the deal told AFP.
The deal could allow for a potential solution without having to sell the app outright to parent company ByteDance.
The plan, first reported by US broadcaster CNBC, will combine the assets of US-based TikTok and Perplexity AI to form a new joint venture, which is backed by Amazon founder Jeff Bezos.
The proposal did not include the value of the transaction, but the source estimated it would be at least $50 billion.
Former Los Angeles Dodgers owner Frank McCourt has also offered to buy TikTok’s US operations and said he is “willing to work with the company and President Trump to complete a deal.”
Kevin O’Leary, a Canadian investor involved in the offer, told Fox News that ByteDance was offered $20 billion for TikTok’s US operation.
He acknowledged legal uncertainty on the issue, with it remaining an open question whether Trump’s executive order to stop the ban would violate the law.
“Congress has virtually written this law as president-proof,” warned Adam Kovasovich, chief executive of the industry trade group Chamber of Progress.
“If an executive order conflicts with existing law, the law takes precedence, and courts can invalidate the order,” said Sarah Krepps, a professor of government and law at Cornell University.
After forcing TikTok to shut down, its US-based rivals Instagram Reels and YouTube Shorts could benefit.
Thousands of worried TikTok users have turned for safety to Xiaohongshu (“Little Red Book”), a Chinese social media network similar to Instagram.
Known as “Red Note” by its US users, it was the most downloaded app on the US Apple Store this week.
