TikTok users in the United States were informed on Sunday that the app is temporarily unavailable following the enactment of a federal ban targeting the video-sharing platform. "Sorry, TikTok isn't available right now. A law banning TikTok has been enacted in the U.S. Unfortunately, that means you can't use TikTok for now," read a message displayed to app users. The notification added, "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!" TikTok users are still permitted to log in to download their data, but the app has been removed from the App Store and Google Play Store. In a statement earlier on Sunday, the company confirmed its services would be "temporarily unavailable" due to the law. "We regret that a U.S. law banning TikTok will take effect on January 19 and force us to make our services temporarily unavailable," the message said. "We're working to restore our service in the U.S. as soon as possible, and we appreciate your support." The ban stems from a Supreme Court decision upholding a bipartisan law requiring TikTok's Chinese parent company, ByteDance, to divest from the platform or face a ban. The court ruled that the law did not violate the company's First Amendment rights under the US Constitution. The White House had previously expressed a preference for TikTok to remain available in the US under American ownership, citing national security concerns over its Chinese ties. President-elect Donald Trump, who begins his second term on Monday, has voiced support for TikTok and urged the Supreme Court to delay the implementation of the ban to allow for negotiations. TikTok CEO Shou Zi Chew is expected to attend Trump's inauguration. The law, signed by outgoing President Joe Biden in April, gave ByteDance 270 days to divest from TikTok or face the ban. — Agencies
