TikTok Shuts Down US Access As Trump Seeks App’s Reinstatement

TikTok Shuts Down US Access As Trump Seeks App’s Reinstatement

President-elect Donald Trump was unable to intervene until he takes office, so TikTok shut down access to its users in the US late on Saturday just before a nationwide ban on the app was in effect.

Users who attempted to use TikTok received a message stating that “a law has been enacted in the US.” “Unfortunately, that means you can’t use TikTok for now”.

The message continued, “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”!

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The US Supreme Court on Friday upheld a law that would require the well-known video-sharing service to stop using it until its Chinese owners can agree to sell it to non-Chinese customers by Sunday following months of legal battles.

When a video goes viral, TikTok is praised for its ability to turn ordinary users into famous people, from grandmothers who share cooking advice to teenage dancers.

Trump has a fan base as well, who has credited the app with making him more popular among younger voters and enabling his election victory in November.

Trump told NBC News on Saturday that he could invoke a 90-day reprieve after speaking with Xi Jinping, the president of China.

“I think that would be, certainly, an option that we look at. The 90-day extension is something that will be most likely done, because it’s appropriate”, he said, ahead of Monday’s inauguration.

“If I decide to do that, I’ll probably announce it on Monday”.

If the White House can demonstrate progress toward a deal, the law allows a 90-day delay, but TikTok owner ByteDance has vehemently opposed any sale.

White House spokeswoman Karine Jean-Pierre referred to TikTok’s most recent statements as “stunts,” and the administration of incoming President Joe Biden has stated it will leave the matter to Trump.

After the court defeat, TikTok CEO Shou Chew appealed to Trump, thanking him for his “commitment to work with us to find a solution”.

Trump “truly understands our platform”, he added.

Chew is also set to attend Trump’s inauguration on Monday.

According to the law, TikTok must be removed from all of Apple and Google’s app stores to prevent new downloads. The businesses could be subject to fines of up to $5, 000 per user who uses the app.

Oracle, which hosts TikTok’s servers, would also be legally obligated to enforce the ban.

On Saturday, none of the businesses responded to requests for comment.

&nbsp, Offers for TikTok

A source with knowledge of the deal told AFP that a highly-valued start-up Perplexity AI made a merger offer to TikTok’s US subsidiary on Saturday in the last minute.

That agreement could give parent company ByteDance a chance to solve the issue without completely selling the app.

The idea was first reported by US broadcaster CNBC, and it would create a new joint venture combining Perplexity AI and US TikTok, which Jeff Bezos has supported.

The proposal did not include a price for the transaction, but the source estimated it would be at least $50 billion.

Former Los Angeles Dodgers owner Frank McCourt has also made an offer to purchase TikTok’s US operations and said he is “ready to work with the company and President Trump to close a deal.”

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.

He acknowledged the legal uncertainty surrounding the case, with the question still lingering whether a Trump executive order would override the law.

“Congress wrote this law to be virtually president-proof”, warned Adam Kovacevich, chief executive of industry trade group Chamber of Progress.

Sarah Kreps, a professor of government and law at Cornell University, said that “if an executive order conflicts with an existing law, the law takes precedence, and the order can be struck down by the courts”.

With TikTok forced into a shutdown, its US-based rivals Instagram Reels and YouTube Shorts could reap benefits.

Thousands of concerned TikTok users have protected their accounts on Xiaohongshu, a Chinese social media platform akin to Instagram.

Its American users refer to it as “Red Note,” and this app was the most popular one on the US Apple Store this week.

Source: Channels TV

 

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