TikTok stops working for US users as Trump mulls 90-day reprieve

WASHINGTON: TikTok stopped working in the United States late on Saturday (Jan 18) and disappeared from Apple and Google app stores ahead of a law that takes effect on Sunday requiring the shutdown of the platform used by 170 million Americans. 

President-elect Donald Trump said earlier in the day he would "most likely" give TikTok a 90-day reprieve from the ban after he takes office on Monday, a promise TikTok cited in a notice posted to users on the app.

TikTok, which is owned by China's ByteDance, told users attempting to use the app around 0345 GMT (11.45am Singapore time): "A law banning TikTok has been enacted in the US. 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."

Other apps owned by ByteDance, including video editing app Capcut and lifestyle social app Lemon8, were also offline and unavailable in US app stores as of late Saturday.

"The 90-day extension is something that will be most likely done, because it's appropriate," Trump told NBC. "If I decide to do that, I'll probably announce it on Monday."

TikTok users logging on late on Saturday were met with a message that said the law would "force us to make our services temporarily unavailable. We're working to restore our service in the US as soon as possible".

It was not clear if any US users could still access the app, but it was no longer working for many users and people seeking to access it through a web application were met with the same message that TikTok was no longer working.

GO DARK

The Chinese-owned app, which has captivated nearly half of all Americans, powered small businesses and shaped online culture, said on Friday it will go dark in the US on Sunday unless President Joe Biden's administration provides assurances to companies such as Apple and Google that they will not face enforcement actions when a ban takes effect.

Under a law passed last year and upheld on Friday by a unanimous Supreme Court, the platform has until Sunday to cut ties with its China-based parent ByteDance or shut down its US operation to resolve concerns it poses a threat to national security.

After the court defeat, TikTok CEO Shou Chew appealed to Trump, thanking him for his "commitment to work with us to find a solution".

Trump "truly understands our platform", he added.

Chew is also set to attend Trump's inauguration on Monday.

The law requires Apple and Google to remove TikTok from their app stores, blocking new downloads. The companies could face penalties of up to US$5,000 per user who can access the app.

Oracle, which hosts TikTok's servers, would also be legally obligated to enforce the ban.

The White House reiterated on Saturday that it was up to the incoming administration to take action, increasing the likelihood of a shutdown on Sunday.

"We see no reason for TikTok or other companies to take actions in the next few days before the Trump administration takes office on Monday," press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said in a statement.

TikTok did not respond to a request for comment on the new White House statement.

The Chinese embassy in Washington on Friday accused the US of using unfair state power to suppress TikTok.

"China will take all necessary measures to resolutely safeguard its legitimate rights and interests," a spokesperson said.

OFFERS FOR TIKTOK

A last-minute proposal made Saturday by the highly-valued start-up Perplexity AI offered a merger with the US subsidiary of TikTok, a source with knowledge of the deal told AFP.

That deal could allow parent company ByteDance a possible solution without selling off the app entirely.

The plan, first reported by US broadcaster CNBC, would create a new joint venture combining the assets of US TikTok and Perplexity AI, which has been backed by Amazon founder Jeff Bezos.

The proposal did not include a price for the transaction, but the source estimated it would be at least US$50 billion.

Frank McCourt, the former Los Angeles Dodgers owner, has also made an offer to purchase TikTok's US activity and said he's "ready to work with the company and President Trump to complete a deal".

Canadian investor Kevin O'Leary, who is involved in that offer, told Fox News that ByteDance was offered US$20 billion for TikTok's US operation.

He acknowledged the legal uncertainty over the case, with it remaining an open question whether an executive order by Trump to halt the ban would override the law.

"Congress wrote this law to be virtually president-proof," warned Adam Kovacevich, chief executive of industry trade group Chamber of Progress.

Sarah Kreps, a professor of government and law at Cornell University, said that "if an executive order conflicts with an existing law, the law takes precedence, and the order can be struck down by the courts".

With TikTok forced into a shutdown, its US-based rivals Instagram Reels and YouTube Shorts could reap benefits.

Thousands of worried TikTok users have protectively turned to Xiaohongshu (Little Red Book), a Chinese social media network similar to Instagram.

Nicknamed "Red Note" by its American users, it was the most downloaded app on the US Apple Store this week.