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TikTok Ban Takes Effect in the U.S.: What Happens Next?

TikTok Ban Takes Effect in the U.S.: What Happens Next? TikTok Ban Takes Effect in the U.S.: What Happens Next?
TikTok Ban Takes Effect in the U.S.: What Happens Next?

A nationwide ban on TikTok officially took effect in the United States on Sunday, marking a major escalation in the government’s efforts to sever the app’s ties to its Chinese parent company, ByteDance. The move follows a Supreme Court ruling on Friday, which upheld the law requiring TikTok to divest from ByteDance or be banned due to national security concerns.

10:00 a.m. EST, January 19 – An Update on TikTok Ban

Donald J. Trump: I’m asking companies not to let TikTok stay dark! I will issue an executive order on Monday to extend the period of time before the law’s prohibitions take effect, so that we can make a deal to protect our national security. The order will also confirm that there will be no liability for any company that helped keep TikTok from going dark before my order.

Read The Full Statement on Truthsocial.com

How the Ban is Being Enforced

Unlike an immediate shutdown of the platform, the ban targets app stores and hosting services that support TikTok. By Sunday morning, Apple, Google, and Samsung had removed TikTok from their app stores, preventing new downloads. Users who already have the app installed can continue using it, but they will no longer receive updates or security patches, which could lead to performance issues over time.

Many users who already had TikTok downloaded on their phones reported seeing a pop-up message when opening the app, stating:

“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.”

Additionally, cloud-service providers that host TikTok’s U.S. operations are expected to end their support, making it more difficult for the app to function smoothly. Experts warn that users may experience slower video loading, glitches, and degraded performance as a result.

TikTok’s Next Move

ByteDance did not sell TikTok, opting instead to challenge the law on First Amendment grounds. However, the Supreme Court’s unanimous ruling sided with the government, citing legitimate national security risks related to potential Chinese government influence and data privacy concerns.

TikTok may attempt to bypass the ban by shifting its hosting infrastructure to foreign cloud services, but this workaround could lead to further restrictions and enforcement actions.

Trump’s Possible Reversal

Despite the ban, TikTok’s fate remains uncertain. President-elect Donald Trump, who takes office on Monday, has previously stated he opposes the ban and may reverse it once in power. If Trump takes action to reinstate TikTok, the app could return to U.S. app stores, but legal and political challenges would likely follow.

For now, U.S. TikTok users face an uncertain future as the platform begins to experience restrictions. Whether the ban is fully implemented or overturned will depend on Trump’s policies, potential legal appeals, and ByteDance’s next steps.

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