On Saturday, both Apple and Google took the significant step of removing TikTok from their app stores, marking the culmination of a long-running legal saga. This action follows the U.S. Supreme Court’s unanimous decision to uphold the Protecting Americans from Foreign Adversary Controlled Applications Act. Signed by President Joe Biden in April, the law mandates ByteDance, TikTok’s Chinese parent company, to either sell the app or face a national ban.
The app’s delisting means that U.S. users can no longer download TikTok, although existing users can still access the app unless further legal developments occur.
App Goes Dark Following Deadline
As of Saturday, TikTok users in the U.S. saw a message on both the app and website stating, “Sorry, TikTok isn’t available right now.” The notice further explained, “A law banning TikTok has been enacted in the U.S. Unfortunately, that means you can’t use TikTok for now.”
Apple’s App Store displayed a “Not Available” message where TikTok’s download page once existed, while Google Play Store users encountered a page saying the requested URL was not found. Other ByteDance-owned apps, such as Lemon8, also ceased operations in the U.S., citing similar issues.
Legal Pressure and Potential Penalties
The law requires that major tech firms like Apple, Google, and Oracle—TikTok’s cloud services partner—cease supporting TikTok unless ByteDance carries out a “qualified divestiture” by Sunday. Failure to comply could result in steep penalties, with fines potentially reaching millions of dollars. These fines are calculated by multiplying $5,000 per user, which, given TikTok’s 170 million U.S. users, could lead to severe financial consequences.
While Oracle, which had warned about the business impact of the law, has yet to comment, the legal landscape continues to shift rapidly.
TikTok CEO Responds Defiantly
In response to the ban, TikTok’s CEO, Shou Chew, released a video message defending the platform’s value to American users. He emphasized that TikTok serves as a creative outlet and a business tool, helping over 7 million U.S. companies connect with customers.
“We will continue to do everything we can to make TikTok a thriving space for creativity and joy,” Chew stated. He also thanked President-elect Donald Trump for seeking to delay the law’s enforcement, with a solution potentially coming in the next administration.
Chew is expected to attend Trump’s inauguration, alongside leaders from other major tech firms.
Trump Weighs In on TikTok’s Future
In a statement on Truth Social, former President Donald Trump expressed his respect for the Supreme Court’s decision but indicated he would review the situation further. He teased the possibility of granting TikTok a 90-day extension to comply with the law.
Trump also suggested that an official decision on TikTok could be announced soon. “We must look at it carefully—it’s a very big situation,” Trump said in a phone interview.
White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre dismissed TikTok’s statement about going dark, calling it a “stunt.” She reiterated that actions to implement the law would fall under the jurisdiction of the incoming administration.
Potential Buyers Enter the Scene
In light of the ban, several groups have expressed interest in acquiring TikTok’s U.S. operations. One such entity is Perplexity AI, an artificial intelligence startup, which has reportedly submitted a bid to combine its AI-powered search engine with TikTok’s platform.
Another bidder, Project Liberty, led by businessman Frank McCourt, has proposed purchasing TikTok from ByteDance. McCourt’s group emphasizes its commitment to severing TikTok’s ties with Chinese algorithms, which is a key concern for U.S. lawmakers.
Broader Impact of the Ban
The ban marks a turning point in the ongoing U.S.-China tech dispute, with critics citing national security risks related to ByteDance’s control over user data. For millions of Americans, TikTok’s removal represents a significant disruption, as the app has become a cultural phenomenon, particularly among younger generations.
While ByteDance has tried to allay concerns by offering to transfer U.S. data to local servers, these efforts have not satisfied U.S. regulators. The future of TikTok in the U.S. remains uncertain, with further negotiations likely in the coming weeks.
