Washington (AFP) – Millions of TikTok users were blocked from accessing the popular app in the United States as a national ban came into effect Sunday, with incoming president Donald Trump unable to intervene until he takes office. TikTok, removed from prominent app stores hours before the ban, said in a message to users attempting to log on that a “law banning TikTok has been enacted in the US.” “Unfortunately, that means you can’t use TikTok for now.” It said “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!”
The blackout followed a US Supreme Court decision on Friday to uphold a law banning the popular video-sharing platform in the name of national security, unless its Chinese owners reached a deal to sell it to non-Chinese buyers by Sunday. From teenage dancers to grandmothers sharing cooking tips, TikTok has been embraced for its ability to transform ordinary users into global celebrities when a video goes viral. It also has a fan in Trump, who has credited the app with connecting him to younger voters, contributing to his election victory in November.
After discussing TikTok with Chinese President Xi Jinping, Trump told NBC News on Saturday that he could activate a 90-day reprieve after he reclaims the Oval Office on Monday. “The 90-day extension is something that will be most likely done, because it’s appropriate,” he said. “If I decide to do that, I’ll probably announce it on Monday.” The law allows a 90-day delay if the White House can show progress toward a viable deal, but TikTok owner ByteDance has flatly refused any sale. Outgoing President Joe Biden’s administration has said it will leave the matter to Trump.
TikTok CEO Shou Chew appealed to Trump after the court defeat, thanking him for his “commitment to work with us to find a solution.” Chew — who is also set to attend Monday’s inauguration — said Trump “truly understands our platform.” Besides removing TikTok from app stores, the law requires Apple and Google to block new downloads, with the companies liable for penalties of up to $5,000 per user if the app is accessed. Oracle, which hosts TikTok’s servers, would also be legally obligated to enforce the ban.
In Europe, TikTok’s suspension drew praise from the foreign minister of Estonia — among the countries most resilient to disinformation, according to the European Media Literacy Index. “We’ve witnessed TikTok spreading disinformation & being a platform for election manipulations. On top of that, its vast data collection is known to pose a serious security risk,” Margus Tsahkna said on social media platform X. “Banning TikTok must be considered in Europe as well.”
The ban even became a hot topic at the Australian Open tennis in Melbourne, where American player Coco Gauff scrawled “RIP TikTok USA” on a courtside camera. “I could not access it after my match,” Gauff said after winning her fourth-round match. “I love TikTok, it’s like an escape…hopefully it comes back,” the world number three told reporters.
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 offer 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 but the source estimated it would cost at least $50 billion.
Frank McCourt, the former Los Angeles Dodgers owner, has also made an offer to purchase TikTok’s US activity. Canadian investor Kevin O’Leary, who is involved in that offer, told Fox News that ByteDance was offered $20 billion for TikTok’s US operation but he also acknowledged the legal uncertainty over the case. Adam Kovacevich, chief executive of industry trade group Chamber of Progress, warned that: “Congress wrote this law to be virtually president-proof.” Thousands of worried TikTok users turned to Xiaohongshu (“Little Red Book”), a Chinese social media network similar to Instagram, ahead of the suspension. Nicknamed “Red Note” by its American users, it was the most downloaded app on the US Apple Store this week.
© 2024 AFP
