Officially: TikTok is banned in the USA! How will this affect users?
19 january 2025 в 08:13
It happened, what everyone was waiting for — TikTok was blocked for American users and officially banned in the United States thanks to a law passed by the government last year. Approximately two hours before the ban came into effect on Sunday, January 19, 2025, TikTok users in the United States noticed that they could not upload videos of friends or post new clips on Saturday, January 18. While Americans try to figure out how to use the app during the ban, many also want to know if TikTok will return.
Donald Trump indicated that he is inclined to impose a 90-day extension of the ban when he becomes president again. However, he has not confirmed whether the extension is final.
Apparently, yes. TikTok is officially banned in the US, as American users noticed around 10:30 pm Eastern Time on Saturday, January 18, 2025. When logging into their TikTok accounts, users saw the following notification: «Sorry, TikTok is currently unavailable. A law banning TikTok has been passed in the US. Unfortunately, this means you cannot use TikTok at this time. We are glad that President Trump has indicated that he will work with us on resolving the issue of restoring TikTok after taking office. Please stay tuned! In the meantime, you can still log in to download your data».
Currently, American users do not need to delete their TikTok accounts, and the platform has provided everyone the opportunity to download and save their published videos.
It is unclear whether TikTok will be able to return for Americans, but as stated in the platform’s closure statement, a clear «decision» between them and Trump may take place «after he takes office», - which was supposed to happen on Monday, January 20, 2025.
At present, any user in the US can access their own posts, but cannot upload new posts. Users also complain that they cannot upload saved or reposted videos. Currently, Americans can simply access their profiles and recent posts made by friends and accounts they follow.
It is unclear how people in the US can use TikTok if they do not have a virtual private network (VPN). With a VPN, a potential smartphone user can potentially hide their IP address, which reveals a person’s location. However, a VPN is unlikely to permanently fix the issue with TikTok.
TikTok was banned in the US due to government concerns about its security. Lawmakers in America are worried that the Chinese government may access user data through this social app and use it to spread misinformation worldwide.
TikTok is owned by the Chinese company ByteDance, and Congress gave them an ultimatum: either sell the app to a US government-approved company, or the app will be banned in America. In April 2024, President Joe Biden signed legislation, and the Supreme Court upheld the legalization a week before the ban in January 2025
Donald Trump indicated that he is inclined to impose a 90-day extension of the ban when he becomes president again. However, he has not confirmed whether the extension is final.
Apparently, yes. TikTok is officially banned in the US, as American users noticed around 10:30 pm Eastern Time on Saturday, January 18, 2025. When logging into their TikTok accounts, users saw the following notification: «Sorry, TikTok is currently unavailable. A law banning TikTok has been passed in the US. Unfortunately, this means you cannot use TikTok at this time. We are glad that President Trump has indicated that he will work with us on resolving the issue of restoring TikTok after taking office. Please stay tuned! In the meantime, you can still log in to download your data».
Currently, American users do not need to delete their TikTok accounts, and the platform has provided everyone the opportunity to download and save their published videos.
It is unclear whether TikTok will be able to return for Americans, but as stated in the platform’s closure statement, a clear «decision» between them and Trump may take place «after he takes office», - which was supposed to happen on Monday, January 20, 2025.
At present, any user in the US can access their own posts, but cannot upload new posts. Users also complain that they cannot upload saved or reposted videos. Currently, Americans can simply access their profiles and recent posts made by friends and accounts they follow.
It is unclear how people in the US can use TikTok if they do not have a virtual private network (VPN). With a VPN, a potential smartphone user can potentially hide their IP address, which reveals a person’s location. However, a VPN is unlikely to permanently fix the issue with TikTok.
TikTok was banned in the US due to government concerns about its security. Lawmakers in America are worried that the Chinese government may access user data through this social app and use it to spread misinformation worldwide.
TikTok is owned by the Chinese company ByteDance, and Congress gave them an ultimatum: either sell the app to a US government-approved company, or the app will be banned in America. In April 2024, President Joe Biden signed legislation, and the Supreme Court upheld the legalization a week before the ban in January 2025
© Smirnova Olga
