TikTok Is Officially Banned in the U.S. and Can No Longer Be Accessed Within Its Borders

TikTok has been officially banned in the U.S., preventing access for users within the country. Attempts to open the app now result in a message stating, "Sorry, 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. 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! In the meantime, you can still download your data."

Despite a final appeal to the U.S. Supreme Court, the ban was upheld. While acknowledging TikTok's popularity and expressive function for over 170 million Americans, the court cited national security concerns regarding data collection practices and the app's relationship with a foreign adversary as justification for the ban. The court's statement reads: “There is no doubt that, for more than 170 million Americans, TikTok offers a distinctive and expansive outlet for expression, means of engagement, and source of community. But Congress has determined that divestiture is necessary to address its well-supported national security concerns regarding TikTok’s data collection practices and relationship with a foreign adversary. For the foregoing reasons, we conclude that the challenged provisions do not violate petitioners’ First Amendment rights.”

TikTok hopes for reinstatement by President-elect Trump after his inauguration on January 20th, although confirmation remains pending. President Trump, in an interview with NBC News on January 18th, suggested a potential 90-day delay to the ban, allowing time for a U.S. or allied buyer to acquire the app. This acquisition has not yet materialized, leading to the current ban. Consequently, other apps linked to TikTok's parent company, ByteDance, including CapCut, Lemon8, and Marvel Snap, have also been deactivated.