January 19, 2025
TikTok’s Tumultuous Times: The U.S. Shutdown Saga
TikTok’s service went offline in the U.S. on Saturday night, shortly before a law requiring the app’s shutdown was set to take effect. This development affects the app’s 170 million American users.
President-elect Donald Trump signaled he might offer TikTok a 90-day reprieve once in office, but a solution remains elusive as the app’s ownership by China’s ByteDance raised national security concerns.
As uncertainty looms, many users have started migrating to alternative platforms, and competitors like Meta and Snap observe a rise in their shares. Meanwhile, U.S. companies and potential buyers express interest in TikTok’s turbulent American operations.
(With inputs from agencies.)