TikTok has officially gone offline—for now. The widely popular video-sharing platform, used by 170 million Americans, stopped functioning late tonight. This followed an announcement from TikTok’s Chinese-owned parent company that their services would be “temporarily unavailable.”

Just before 11 p.m., U.S. users were met with an on-screen message stating, “Sorry TikTok isn’t available right now,” rendering the app completely nonfunctional.

The shutdown occurred roughly an hour after the company warned users to prepare for the interruption.

“We regret that a U.S. law banning TikTok will take effect on January 19 and force us to make our services temporarily unavailable,” the company informed users earlier in the evening.

“We’re working to restore our service in the U.S. as soon as possible, and we appreciate your support,” they added.

Once the shutdown took place, TikTok updated its message, offering a glimmer of hope: “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 company also provided a link enabling users to download their data.

The app’s closure sparked an outpouring of reactions on rival platform X, where users expressed their dismay and nostalgia for the beloved app.

“R.I.P TIKTOK,” one user lamented alongside a heartbreak emoji.

“TIKTOK IS OFFICIALLY dead,” another wrote, punctuating their grief with crying emojis.

In the hours leading up to its shutdown, TikTok users posted messages of heartbreak, with #SaveTikTok trending across social media.

“TIKTOK NOOOO!!!!” one person exclaimed, sharing a clip of a woman screaming in despair after seeing the shutdown warning.

One particularly impassioned user wrote, “Violating our right to free speech over hypotheticals that have never happened is gonna be the next war cry of the revolution. 170 million Americans use TikTok, which is over half the country. #SCOTUS better rethink this. Leave us alone.”

The app’s fate now lies in the hands of President-elect Donald Trump, who is set to return to the White House on Monday. Trump has pledged to “save” the app, crediting it as a crucial factor in his November election victory.

Speaking to NBC News today, Trump hinted that TikTok could be granted a reprieve: “We have to look at it carefully. It’s a very big situation,” he said, adding that he would “most likely” offer a 90-day extension to negotiate a resolution.

The app’s shutdown had been expected since the Supreme Court upheld a congressional law requiring ByteDance, TikTok’s parent company, to divest its stake by January 19 or face a nationwide ban. TikTok’s arguments that the law was unconstitutional failed to sway the justices.

Users attempting to access TikTok tonight for their usual dose of nonsense were instead redirected to a website outlining details of the ban.

The ban marked the culmination of months of political and legal drama. Bipartisan support in Congress had pushed forward the legislation to block TikTok over national security concerns. TikTok and ByteDance consistently rejected claims of wrongdoing, asserting that the app was not for sale, while Chinese officials vowed to oppose any forced divestment.

The law imposes penalties not just on ByteDance but also on tech giants like Google and Apple. Both companies face fines of $5,000 per user if they allow TikTok downloads via their app stores. Additionally, Oracle, which provides cloud services for TikTok, could face legal repercussions.

Even if the app had stayed online temporarily for existing users, its service would have deteriorated without essential updates and technical support.

Before leaving office, President Biden deferred the law’s enforcement, leaving the matter for Trump to address.

TikTok explained that the shutdown was unavoidable, claiming that “the Biden White House and the Department of Justice have failed to provide the necessary clarity and assurance to the service providers that are integral to maintaining TikTok’s availability” that they would not face penalties.

White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre dismissed TikTok’s shutdown as a “stunt.”

In contrast, TikTok CEO Shou Zi Chew publicly expressed gratitude to President-elect Trump, hinting at a potential resolution. In a video released after the Supreme Court’s ruling, Chew stated, “We are grateful and pleased to have the support of a president who truly understands our platform—one who has used TikTok to express his own thoughts and perspectives, connecting with the world and generating more than 60 billion views of his content in the process.” He concluded with a cryptic promise: “More to come.”

Trump himself hinted at upcoming announcements regarding TikTok. On Friday, he posted on Truth Social: “The Supreme Court decision was expected, and everyone must respect it. My decision on TikTok will be made in the not too distant future, but I must have time to review the situation. Stay tuned!”

Reports suggest that Trump is considering an executive order to delay enforcement of the law, although his legal authority to do so remains unclear.

Chew is expected to attend Trump’s inauguration on Monday, where he will share the stage with other tech leaders, including Elon Musk, Meta’s Mark Zuckerberg, Apple’s Tim Cook, and Google’s Sundar Pichai.

As the deadline approached, Chew sought to build rapport with Trump, even meeting with him at Mar-a-Lago after the election.

Despite TikTok’s efforts to stave off the ban, U.S. officials, including the Justice Department and lawmakers, continue to assert that the app serves as a tool for Chinese espionage and propaganda, capable of collecting vast amounts of data and influencing public opinion.

TikTok has consistently denied these allegations.

In a unanimous decision, the Supreme Court ruled in favor of the government. “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,” the justices stated.

{Matzav.com}