TikTok Shutdown Begins In US After Supreme Court Rules In Favour Of Legislation Banning The Chinese App

TikTok ceased operations in the United States late Saturday (18 January), just hours before the enforcement of a federal ban on the Chinese-owned short-video platform.

By Saturday night, TikTok had disappeared from Apple’s iOS App Store and Google’s Play Store.

This followed an April 2024 law passed by US Congress requiring ByteDance, TikTok’s parent company, to sell the app to a non-Chinese owner or face a full ban.

ByteDance opted not to sell, asserting that such divestment “is simply not possible: not commercially, not technologically, not legally.”

The company maintained this position until the app’s removal.

The process leading to TikTok’s shutdown has unfolded over five years.

In mid-2020, Donald Trump introduced the idea of banning TikTok through an executive order, though it was ultimately unsuccessful.

Over the years, lawmakers proposed various measures to achieve the same outcome, with only one becoming law.

The Protecting Americans from Foreign Adversary Controlled Applications Act became law, mandating TikTok be sold or be banned.

“A law banning TikTok has been enacted in the U.S. Unfortunately, that means you can’t use TikTok for now. We are fortunate that President Trump has indicated that he will work with us on a solution to reinstate TikTok once he takes office. Please stay tuned,” a message to users attempting to use the app said.

Just two days before the deadline for ByteDance to sell TikTok, an app used by 170 million Americans, the US Supreme Court upheld the constitutionality of the law.

President Joe Biden stated he would leave enforcement of the legislation to President-elect Donald Trump.

In a Friday statement, the White House reiterated its stance that TikTok “should remain available to Americans, but simply under American ownership.”

Reacting to the Supreme Court’s decision, TikTok CEO Shou Chew expressed hope that President-elect Donald Trump would support the app’s reinstatement.

“On behalf of everyone at TikTok and all our users across the country, I want to thank President Trump for his commitment to work with us to find a solution that keeps TikTok available in the United States,” he said in a video posted to TikTok.

Donald Trump made a last-minute effort to support TikTok during its Supreme Court battle, despite being the original proponent of the ban.

His interest in the app grew during his 2024 presidential campaign, where he found significant support among its user base.

Following his inauguration on Monday, Trump may direct the Justice Department not to enforce the legislation, though he emphasised the importance of respecting the Supreme Court’s ruling. Whether he can fully override the TikTok ban remains uncertain.

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