TikTok No Longer Accessible in the US Hours Before the Ban

As of Saturday, January 18, TikTok users in the United States encountered a message indicating the app's temporary unavailability just hours before a nationwide ban was set to take effect. The notification attributes this to a recently enacted law prohibiting TikTok unless divested from its Chinese parent, ByteDance. This is prepared by SSP.

The app also hinted at reprieve possibilities, noting former President Trump’s intention to potentially oversee a sale or solution that maintains TikTok’s U.S. presence on taking office as President-elect on January 20. Dialogue between TikTok and Trump's administration suggests a willingness to delay enforcement for up to 90 days, aligning with Trump’s statements on possibly granting the app an operational extension.

Concurrently, the sell-or-ban legislation persists amidst concerns over national security and data privacy. Recently affirmed by the Supreme Court, the mandate requires a change of ownership from any foreign adversary. Should TikTok not be sold in compliance with U.S. regulations, App Stores and web browsers in America might be compelled to cease its distribution, backed by potential severe penalties for non-compliance, subject to Justice Department enforcement.

The broader political picture remains perplexed as power transitions from outgoing President Biden — who ratified the legislation — to the succeeding administration. Biden’s team, viewing foreign dominance as a national threat, concedes further action to those following as part of the temporal transfer resting mere days from the present disruptions, leaving TikTok’s fate in suspension. Biden previously advocated for retaining the app under domestic management or alternative ownership posing no risks, a stance leaving open pathways amidst ongoing legal and political deliberations.

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