TikTok goes dark in US but the ban could be ended very quickly as users flock to new apps
The day which millions of Americans have been dreading has finally arrived - TikTok has officially gone offline in the US.
To add insult to injury, social media users in the States reported that the app 'went dark' less than two hours before the ban was supposed to go into effect today (19 January).
People were hoping to at least get one last 'doom scroll' in before the clock struck midnight, however, it seems TikTok might have ceased operations ahead of the expected schedule.
The video-sharing platform - which has become a source of income for a lot of people as well as entertainment - is no longer available on Apple’s iOS App Store or Google’s Play Store.
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However, Americans are holding out hope that an unlikely hero - in the form of Donald Trump - could save the app from the scrap heap.
In the meantime though, US social media users are seeking solace on other platforms, with millions flocking to rival apps to get their scrolling fix.
Why has TikTok been banned in the US?
On Saturday (18 January) night, the TikTok blackout began in the US and users were booted out of the app.
There's no such thing as a 'For You Page' for those lot anymore, as they are instead currently being greeted with a message explaining the ban.
It reads: "Sorry, TikTok isn't available right now. A law banning TikTok has been enacted in the US. Unfortunately, that means you can't use TikTok for now."
Last April, President Joe Biden vowed to get rid of TikTok in the nation as he alleged it poses a 'national-security threat of immense depth and scale' due to its China-based parent company ByteDance.
Politicians on the other side of the pond feared the Chinese government might order the company to hand over its data on its mass of American users.
ByteDance was informed it would have to sell the popular app, which is said to be used by 170 million Americans, if it wanted to continue operating in the US.
The Supreme Court stood by the ruling and unanimously upheld the law banning the app earlier this week - and as the 19 January deadline is here and TikTok still doesn't have a new owner, it's now 'gone dark'.
Where are TikTok users going instead?
If there's one thing about social media users, it's that they are very resourceful - so even before the TikTok ban came into force, they were looking for another app to become obsessed with.
Americans have been flocking to other online platforms such as RedNote, Lemon8, Clapper, Flip and Fanbase in recent days.
These apps are shooting to the top of the rankings on app stores, as millions of people have download them in the hopes of finding something which can fill the big shoes TikTok has left behind.
RedNote, also known as Xiaohongshu, has been one of the most popular platforms this week and it is owned by Shanghai-based company Xingyin Information Technology.
The app, which was founded in 2013 and means 'Little Red Book', has been hailed as China's answer to Instagram.
It already boasted 300million users in China and now, it's hosting a whole lot more.
But another of ByteDance's app babies, Lemon8, has also been thriving as of late - which probably comes as a great annoyance to US officials.
The video-sharing platform was launched in Japan in 2020 and is renowned for its lifestyle content.
Is there a way TikTok can be saved?
Although things seem quite bleak right now, there is a chance the TikTok ban could be turned around.
President Biden said he will leave the issue in the hands of his successor, Donald Trump, who is set to take office on Monday (20 January).
In the message displayed to users upon opening the app, TikTok appears to hint that the president-elect might be able to pull some strings to get it back online.
It states: "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!"
Trump said he will 'most likely' give the app a 90-day extension from the ban once he gets in the Oval Office tomorrow.
On Saturday (18 January), the 78-year-old told NBC News: "The 90-day extension is something that will be most likely done, because it's appropriate.
"If I decide to do that, I'll probably announce it on Monday."
TikTok's chief executive, Shou Zi Chew - who is expected to attend Trump's inauguration - also thanked the incoming president for his 'commitment to work with us to find a solution'.
Hopefully, Americans only have to experience this TikTok-less hell for 24 hours, give or take, then.
Could TikTok be banned in the UK?
Amid all of this online panic about the US TikTok ban, naturally, Brits have started worrying about the fate of the app in the UK too.
The fact that our timelines have been flooded with 'funeral' content and eleventh hour confessions from creators has made it all feel a bit too real.
People have shared their concerns that other countries might follow the US' lead - but thankfully, it seems we're in the clear, for now.
A spokesperson for the UK government shared a statement reassuring social media users on Saturday (18 January).
It explained: "This is a matter for the US government. There are no plans to introduce a TikTok ban in the UK.
"We engage with all major social media companies to understand their plans for ensuring the security of UK data and to ensure they meet the high data protection and cyber security standards we expect."
Phew! But what about those poor Americans, eh?
Topics: Politics, Technology, TikTok, US News, Social Media, Donald Trump
Olivia Burke