TikTok app faces federal ban in the US
Image Source : AP TikTok app faces federal ban in the US

Ahead of a federal ban in the US, the Chinese app TikTok has stopped working in the country, and it was removed from prominent app stores on Saturday. The development comes just before a federal law banning popular social media platforms went into effect.

TikTok was missing from Apple and Google’s app stores by 10:50 pm Eastern Standard Time, as these platforms are prohibited from offering the Chinese social media platform under a law that required TikTok’s China-based parent company, ByteDance, to either sell the platform or face a US ban.

When users opened the TikTok app on Saturday, they got a pop-up message from the company that prevented them from scrolling through videos.

The message said that a law banning TikTok has been enacted in the US, adding, “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 message added. 

Meanwhile, Artificial intelligence startup Perplexity AI sent a proposal to ByteDance on Saturday to create a new entity. The proposal seeks to merge Perplexity with TikTok US business, AP quotes a person familiar with the matter.

If TikTok agrees to the proposal, the new structure will also include other investors and allow ByteDance’s existing shareholders to retain their stake in the company, the person adds. 

Earlier on Friday, the US Supreme Court unanimously upheld the federal law that sought to ban TikTok unless ByteDance divested itself of its US holdings. While delivering the verdict, the Court rejected Trump’s request to wait until his administration could pursue a “political resolution” to the issue.

Arguing against the ban, TikTok, ByteDance, including some of the devoted users who rely on the platform, argued the statute was against the spirit of the First Amendment.

The Biden administration sought to show ByteDance’s ownership and control of TikTok posed an unacceptable national security threat. 

Also Read | US Supreme Court upholds law banning TikTok, new users won’t be able to download app