TikTok Removed from App Stores and Banned in the U.S. After Supreme Court Ruling

The U.S. government raised concerns about TikTok collecting data and potentially sharing it with the Chinese government.
January 19, 2025
TikTok Removed from App Store

TikTok has stopped working in the United States as of Sunday following a Supreme Court ruling. When U.S. users try to open the app, they see a message saying, “Sorry, TikTok is unavailable for now.” Screenshots of this message are being shared on social media. The app has also been removed from both Google Play Store and Apple App Store in the U.S.

On Friday, the Supreme Court upheld a decision requiring TikTok’s parent company, ByteDance, to sell its U.S. operations or face a nationwide ban. As a result, ByteDance has suspended TikTok’s services for its 170 million American users.

Currently, TikTok is unavailable for download, and existing users see a message that reads, TikTok is currently unavailable. A ban is in effect, and you cannot use the app for now.” The app stopped working as early as Saturday evening.

Former President Donald Trump, beginning his second term on Monday, may announce a 90-day extension for TikTok to resolve the issue. He mentioned the possibility in an interview with NBC News, indicating a decision could come soon.

ByteDance, which also owns other apps like CapCut and Lemon8, is facing broader restrictions in the U.S. The company has criticized the law as a violation of free speech and business fairness.

The U.S. government raised concerns about TikTok collecting data and potentially sharing it with the Chinese government, which led to the ban.

In April, President Joe Biden signed a law requiring TikTok to either sell its U.S. operations or face a ban. ByteDance had until January 19 to comply but has yet to find a solution.

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