By: Bayero Ade
TikTok has suspended its services in the United States as of Saturday night, shutting down both its app and website for millions of American users.
According to Peoples Gazette, this action follows a law passed by lawmakers and signed by President Joe Biden last year, which was upheld by the U.S. Supreme Court, allowing the ban to take effect on January 20. Despite efforts to challenge the ban, TikTok ultimately complied, ceasing operations a day earlier than expected, at around 10:30 p.m. Eastern Time.
The company also resisted calls to sell its U.S. operations to American investors, which heightened concerns over the platform’s potential links to Chinese intelligence agencies.
A message displayed on TikTok’s platform to American users read: “A law banning TikTok has been enacted in the U.S. Unfortunately, this means you can’t access TikTok for now. We’re hopeful that President Trump will work with us to find a solution to reinstate TikTok once he takes office. Stay tuned!”
President-elect Donald Trump, set to take office on January 20, has suggested that he may offer TikTok a 90-day extension to divest its operations to American businesses, potentially allowing the platform to return if the sale is completed. The app has more than 170 million U.S. users.
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