Hours before a law banning the Chinese-owned platform in the name of national security came into effect, TikTok was removed from app stores and told users attempting to log on that under the new legislation “you can’t use TikTok for now.”
Trump, who had previously backed a ban and during his first term in office made moves towards one, posted “Save TikTok!” on his own Truth Social platform early 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.
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.
Outgoing President Joe Biden’s administration has said it will leave the matter to Trump and that it would not enforce any ban.
“Congress wrote this law to be virtually president-proof,“ warned Adam Kovacevich, chief executive of industry trade group Chamber of Progress.
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.
Other social media platforms such as X were flooded with memes and comments mourning the move early Sunday -- though some posts were more cynical, with many pointing to Trump’s own previous efforts to ban TikTok.
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.
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 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.
Frank McCourt, the former Los Angeles Dodgers owner, has also made an offer to purchase TikTok’s US activity.
Nicknamed “Red Note” by its American users, it was the most downloaded app on the US Apple Store last week.
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