TikTok shuts down in the USA: Users are referred to Trump

By Andrei Sokolov

Washington - The video app TikTok has ceased operations in the USA just before a sales period expired .

Users received a warning message on Saturday evening (local time) stating that TikTok was no longer usable for the time being - but that there was hope for a solution under future US President Donald Trump (78).

The deadline for China-based TikTok owner Bytedance to divest itself of the app under US law expires today. However, the app pulled the plug before then.

The interruption is likely to be short-lived. US President-elect Donald Trump has already given TikTok the prospect of an additional three months. However, he will not be sworn in as president until Monday.

Bytedance was given 270 days to divest itself of the video app under the US Foreign Control of Online Platforms Act last year.

After the deadline, the law requires TikTok to be removed from the American app stores of Apple and Google and lose access to technical infrastructure. For US service providers that continue to supply TikTok after the deadline, the law stipulates high penalties of 5,000 dollars per user.

The government of outgoing US President Joe Biden (82) announced that it would leave the enforcement of the law to Trump. This was intended to signal that violations of the law by US companies would not be punished.

However, TikTok demanded direct assurances from the government on Friday, at least to the most important tech service providers, and announced that otherwise the platform would be shut down in the US on Sunday. According to media reports, the White House felt that sufficient clarity had already been provided.

With the shutdown, TikTok was aiming for a bang in its tug-of-war with Biden's government. Added to this is the clear reference to Trump's intention to find a solution.