TikTok has officially been banned in the U.S., and the social media app is no longer accessible within the country's borders. Users attempting to access TikTok will be met with a message stating, "Sorry, TikTok isn't available right now." The message elaborates, "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! In the meantime, you can still download your data."
TikTok made a final appeal to the U.S. Supreme Court, but the court unanimously upheld the ban, despite acknowledging that numerous other apps engage in extensive data collection. The Supreme Court recognized TikTok's role as a significant platform for expression, engagement, and community for over 170 million Americans. However, they concluded, "But Congress has determined that divestiture is necessary to address its well-supported national security concerns regarding TikTok’s data collection practices and relationship with a foreign adversary. For the foregoing reasons, we conclude that the challenged provisions do not violate petitioners’ First Amendment rights."
TikTok is hopeful that incoming President Donald Trump will reverse the ban upon taking office on January 20. In an interview with NBC News on January 18, Trump indicated he would "most likely" delay the ban for 90 days. This potential delay aims to provide a window for a U.S. or allied buyer to acquire the app, which has not yet occurred and was the cause of the ban. Additionally, other apps connected to TikTok's parent company, ByteDance, such as CapCut, Lemon8, and Marvel Snap, have also ceased operations in the U.S.
