Apple and Google removed TikTok from its app stores on Saturday night, in compliance with a law requiring China’s ByteDance to divest itself of the social app or face an effective US ban
The removal of TikTok from the Apple App Store and Google Play Store means that people in the US can no longer download the popular short-form video app to their devices. The delisting of the app comes after the Supreme Court on Friday unanimously upheld the Protecting Americans from Apps Controlled by Foreign Adversaries Act, which President Joe Biden signed in April. TikTok announced its service on Friday it would darkenmeaning he would stop working for Americans unless the Biden administration intervenes.
On Apple’s App Store, an “App Not Available” message appears on TikTok’s former app installation page.
“This app is currently not available in your country or region,” the message said.
“We’re sorry, the requested URL was not found on this server,” said a message on a page previously hosted by TikTok on the Google Play store.
Some users who visited TikTok’s app and website on Saturday were met with a message that said: “We’re sorry, TikTok is currently unavailable.”
“A law has been passed in the US that bans TikTok. Unfortunately, this means you can’t use TikTok for now,” the notice said. “We are lucky that President Trump has indicated that he will work with us on a solution to get TikTok back on track once he takes office. Stay tuned!”
Lemon8, another ByteDance-owned service, also displayed a notice letting users know it was not available in the US. The app has recently climbed the charts, becoming one of the most popular free apps on iOS.
“Sorry, Lemon8 is currently unavailable,” notice of the state.
TikTok halted its app’s service in the US on Saturday.
The law requires service providers to no longer support TikTok within the US if ByteDance fails to execute a “qualified takedown” of the app by Sunday. As a result, Apple, Google and Oracle could face stiff penalties for not complying with the law. Apple and Google previously distributed the app through their respective app stores, while Oracle provides cloud computing services for TikTok and he said in June that the law would hurt her business.
After the decision of the Supreme Court, TikTok CEO Shou Chew said that using TikTok is a First Amendment right and added that more than 7 million US businesses use it to make money and find customers.
Waiting for Trump
“Rest assured, we will do everything in our power to ensure that our platform thrives as your online home for limitless creativity and discovery, as well as a source of inspiration and joy for years to come,” Chew said in TikTok video.
Chew also thanked President-elect Donald Trump who previously asked The Supreme Court yes pause the implementation of the law and allow his administration “an opportunity to seek a political solution to the issues in the case.” Chew it expects to attend Trump’s inauguration in Washington on Monday, along with technology leaders from companies including Target, AmazonApple and Google.
Trump arrived in Washington on Saturday night. His transition team did not immediately respond to TikTok’s shutdown. Trump said Friday that the Supreme Court’s decision was expected “and that everyone must respect it.”
“My decision on TikTok will be made in the not too distant future, but I need to have time to review the situation. Stay tuned!” Trump he wrote in the post on its social media app Truth Social.
White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre on Saturday acknowledged TikTok’s announcement that it would go dark, calling it a “stunt.”
“We made our position clear and direct: actions to implement this law will be up to the next administration,” Jean-Pierre said. “Therefore, TikTok and other companies should address any issues with them.”
Trump told NBC News said on Saturday that it would “most likely” give TikTok a 90-day extension of Sunday’s deadline, and that it would “probably announce” a decision on Monday.
“I think that would certainly be an option that we’re looking at,” Trump said in a phone interview. “The 90-day extension is something that will most likely be done, because it’s appropriate. You know, it’s appropriate. We have to look at it carefully. It’s a very big situation.”
Artificial intelligence startup Perplexity AI submitted a bid for TikTok on Saturday that would result in the combination of the AI-powered search engine startup with TikTok’s US operations and new equity partners, CNBC reported.
Businessman Frank McCourt’s internet advocacy group The Freedom Project announced on January 9 that it had submitted a proposal to buy TikTok from ByteDance under undisclosed terms. McCourt told CNBC on Friday that “we are, I believe, the only bidder” that meets the necessary criteria to separate the technology from the Chinese algorithm.
