TikTok Goes Dark in the US: A Federal Ban Takes Effect
By Ravie Lakshmanan, January 19, 2025
TikTok, the popular video-sharing social network, has officially gone dark in the United States as a federal ban on the app comes into effect on January 19, 2025. The ban, which was announced earlier this year, has forced the company to make its services temporarily unavailable in the US.
"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 said in a pop-up message. "We’re working to restore our service in the U.S. as soon as possible, and we appreciate your support. Please stay tuned."
The ban has had an immediate impact on existing users, who will no longer be able to access TikTok for the next 90 days. This is not the first time TikTok has faced a ban in the US; in June 2020, the app was outright banned in India due to concerns over data privacy and security.
However, the ban has also had an unintended consequence, with users migrating to other Chinese alternatives such as RedNote (aka Xiaohongshu), rather than Instagram and YouTube. This has raised concerns among lawmakers about the potential for foreign influence or interference via social media.
"I’m concerned that Americans are flocking to a number of adversary-owned social media platforms," Virginia Senator Mark Warner said in a post on Bluesky. "We still need a comprehensive and risk-based approach to assessing and mitigating the risks of foreign-owned apps."
The ban on TikTok is part of a broader trend of governments around the world cracking down on social media companies, citing concerns over data privacy and security. However, the ban has also highlighted the challenges of regulating social media in the digital age.
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