The Supreme Court this week upheld a federal law banning TikTok, but Donald Trump could allow the application to make a comeback as early as Monday.
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Millions of TikTok users in the United States can no longer access the social media platform.
The application was removed on Saturday evening from the Apple Store and Google Play Store, while its website indicates that the short-format video platform is no longer available.
US users who opened the TikTok app on Saturday came across a pop-up message preventing them from scrolling through videos and stating: “Sorry, TikTok is not available at the moment.”
“A law banning TikTok has been passed in the United States”indicates the message. “Unfortunately, this means you cannot use TikTok at this time.”
Joe Biden had however announced that he would not apply the ban on the application. In a statement, White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre called the timing too tight: “Given the simple fact of timing, this administration recognizes that actions to implement the law must simply fall to the next administration, which takes office on Monday”she said.
-A decision that follows a unanimous ruling from the Supreme Court upholding a federal law banning TikTok on Sunday, unless it is sold by its parent company based in China.
The Court found that the national security risk posed by Bytedance’s ties to China outweighed concerns about limiting the free speech of the app and its 170 million users to states. -United.
Return of TikTok with Donald Trump?
“We are fortunate that President Trump has indicated he will work with us on a solution to restore TikTok once he takes office”the message continues, in a reference to President-elect Donald Trump’s promise to “save” the platform. The company asked its users to stay tuned.
TikTok CEO Shou Chew posted a video thanking Donald Trump for his commitment to working with the company to keep the app available in the United States and for its “strong stance in favor of the First Amendment and against arbitrary censorship.”
In an interview with NBC News on Saturday, President-elect Donald Trump said he was considering giving TikTok a 90-day extension that would allow it to continue operating.
If such an extension takes place, Donald Trump – who has in the past favored a ban on TikTok – has said it would be “probably” announced Monday, the day he will be sworn in as president. TikTok CEO Shou Chew is expected to attend the inauguration.
