Michelle Del Rey and Oliver O'Connell
Sun 19 January 2025
Around 10:30 p.m., TikTok users opened the platform to find the following message: “Sorry, TikTok isn’t available right now. A law banning TikTok has been enacted in the U.S. Unfortunately, that means you can’t use TikTok for now.
“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!”
The platform then gave its 170 million American users the option to click close app or learn more, taking them back to the same screen.
A message that appeared on the screens of TikTok users when they tried accessing the app on Saturday evening (TikTok)
The origins of the ban began in the first Trump administration, with Trump announcing plans to block the app in 2020. On Sunday he posted on Truth Social that he will “issue an executive order on Monday to extend the period of time before the law’s prohibitions take effect, so that we can make a deal to protect our national security.”
The shutdown comes a day after the Supreme Court ruled in favor of a law barring TikTok from U.S. consumers, citing threats to national security. President Joe Biden signed legislation in April requiring TikTok to be sold by its owner, Chinese company ByteDance, or face a ban.
The law, called the Protecting Americans from Foreign Adversary Controlled Applications Act, gave the company 270 days. The clock was due to run out on Saturday night and no buyer had emerged in public.
Backers of the law argue that ByteDance’s ownership gives the Chinese government a potential backdoor into the private information of its U.S. users and a powerful covert propaganda tool.
TikTok and its supporters argue that the company has already made efforts to separate its U.S. users’ data from ByteDance and that banning it would infringe on free speech and the livelihoods of millions of people. About seven million people in the U.S. make an income from TikTok.
Donald Trump has both tried to ban TikTok and hinted he will be its savior (Copyright 2025 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.)
In a last-minute effort to save the app from being barred across the country, artificial intelligence company, Perplexity AI, submitted a bid Saturday to merge its platform with TikTok.
The proposal was submitted to ByteDance. The new product would have combined Perplexity, TikTok U.S. and new partners, according to CNBC, and enabled a majority of current investors to keep their equity stakes.
But, that merger would’ve likely taken months.
After the Supreme Court decision, TikTok warned it would “go dark” in the U.S. on Sunday unless the Biden administration provided clarity on how the ban would be enforced. Service providers like Google and Apple were concerned they’d be subjected to heavy penalties if they continued to host the app.
President-elect Donald Trump had asked the Supreme Court to delay its decision while he sought a “political” solution.
The incoming president could try to negotiate a deal with TikTok and ByteDance or lobby Congress to repeal or amend the legislation to ensure the platform’s continued existence in the U.S. It’s unclear how feasible that would be.
In his Truth Social post on Sunday, he argued that with a delay, he’d be able to change the ownership of the company.
“By doing this, we save TikTok, keep it in good hands and allow it to s[t]ay up,” he wrote. “Without U.S. approval, there is no Tik Tok. With our approval, it is worth hundreds of billions of dollars - maybe trillions. Therefore, my initial thought is a joint venture between the current owners and/or new owners whereby the U.S. gets a 50% ownership in a joint venture set up between the U.S. and whichever purchase we so choose.”
Even if Trump does approve the extension, it’s unknown what will happen once it expires. There is no precedent for banning a social media platform in the U.S. Additionally, ByteDance has publicly implied it does not intend to sell the app.
One reason for the extension seems to be to ensure his own inauguration gets a wide audience. “Americans deserve to see our exciting Inauguration on Monday, as well as other events and conversations,” Trump wrote.
Kevin O'Leary Warns That Shutting Down TikTok Would Hurt '6 Million Small Businesses In America' That Rely On It To Make A Living
Adrian Volenik
Fri, January 17, 2025
Kevin O'Leary, the investor famously known from Shark Tank, has once again stepped into the heated debate about TikTok's future in the United States. Alongside billionaire entrepreneur Frank McCourt, O'Leary is pushing a bold plan to save the platform from a potential nationwide ban, which he says would be devastating for small businesses nationwide.
Why TikTok Matters to Small Businesses
TikTok is a key tool for the success of many small businesses in America. Kevin O'Leary says six million businesses use the app to sell products, find customers and make money. If TikTok is shut down, it would cause big problems for these businesses.
"I don’t want it shut down. It’s not good for my businesses, it’s not good for six million other small businesses in America that make a living off it," O'Leary said in a recent interview. "We just need to take out the onerous piece – the spyware – that’s what Congress is upset about."
The Spyware Problem
TikTok’s controversy stems from its parent company, ByteDance, a Chinese tech giant. U.S. lawmakers from both parties have raised concerns about the app's data security and potential ties to the Chinese government. The fear is that TikTok's algorithm could serve as a tool for surveillance or propaganda.
O'Leary and McCourt's solution? Buy TikTok's U.S. operations outright. Their proposal involves acquiring the app without its famous algorithm – the technology that powers TikTok's addictive "For You" feed. "We don’t want to buy the algorithm, we can’t use it. That’s spyware," O'Leary explained. "We’re going to rebuild the product and make it much better."
A Race Against Time
The urgency behind O'Leary's bid is tied to a looming deadline. A law passed earlier this year could result in TikTok being banned in the United States starting Jan. 19, 2025, unless the app is sold. The Supreme Court is deciding whether this law will go into effect and O'Leary and McCourt are pushing to get their offer accepted before it's too late.
Critics have questioned whether TikTok can remain popular without its algorithm, which is central to its success. The algorithm is the magic behind the content recommendations that keep users hooked. But O'Leary insists that the platform's success doesn't hinge on the existing technology.
O'Leary and McCourt's group, called The People's Bid for TikTok, has support from investors and tech experts, including Tim Berners-Lee, the inventor of the World Wide Web. They've also talked to lawmakers and plan to work with President-elect Donald Trump to close the deal.
McCourt emphasized the importance of keeping TikTok running for its millions of users. "By keeping the platform alive without relying on the current TikTok algorithm and avoiding a ban, millions of Americans can continue to enjoy the platform," he said. "We look forward to working with ByteDance, President-elect Trump and the incoming administration to get this deal done."
Even though ByteDance has repeatedly stated that TikTok is not for sale, O’Leary and McCourt are committed to finding a solution.
Adrian Volenik
Fri, January 17, 2025
Kevin O'Leary, the investor famously known from Shark Tank, has once again stepped into the heated debate about TikTok's future in the United States. Alongside billionaire entrepreneur Frank McCourt, O'Leary is pushing a bold plan to save the platform from a potential nationwide ban, which he says would be devastating for small businesses nationwide.
Why TikTok Matters to Small Businesses
TikTok is a key tool for the success of many small businesses in America. Kevin O'Leary says six million businesses use the app to sell products, find customers and make money. If TikTok is shut down, it would cause big problems for these businesses.
"I don’t want it shut down. It’s not good for my businesses, it’s not good for six million other small businesses in America that make a living off it," O'Leary said in a recent interview. "We just need to take out the onerous piece – the spyware – that’s what Congress is upset about."
The Spyware Problem
TikTok’s controversy stems from its parent company, ByteDance, a Chinese tech giant. U.S. lawmakers from both parties have raised concerns about the app's data security and potential ties to the Chinese government. The fear is that TikTok's algorithm could serve as a tool for surveillance or propaganda.
O'Leary and McCourt's solution? Buy TikTok's U.S. operations outright. Their proposal involves acquiring the app without its famous algorithm – the technology that powers TikTok's addictive "For You" feed. "We don’t want to buy the algorithm, we can’t use it. That’s spyware," O'Leary explained. "We’re going to rebuild the product and make it much better."
A Race Against Time
The urgency behind O'Leary's bid is tied to a looming deadline. A law passed earlier this year could result in TikTok being banned in the United States starting Jan. 19, 2025, unless the app is sold. The Supreme Court is deciding whether this law will go into effect and O'Leary and McCourt are pushing to get their offer accepted before it's too late.
Critics have questioned whether TikTok can remain popular without its algorithm, which is central to its success. The algorithm is the magic behind the content recommendations that keep users hooked. But O'Leary insists that the platform's success doesn't hinge on the existing technology.
O'Leary and McCourt's group, called The People's Bid for TikTok, has support from investors and tech experts, including Tim Berners-Lee, the inventor of the World Wide Web. They've also talked to lawmakers and plan to work with President-elect Donald Trump to close the deal.
McCourt emphasized the importance of keeping TikTok running for its millions of users. "By keeping the platform alive without relying on the current TikTok algorithm and avoiding a ban, millions of Americans can continue to enjoy the platform," he said. "We look forward to working with ByteDance, President-elect Trump and the incoming administration to get this deal done."
Even though ByteDance has repeatedly stated that TikTok is not for sale, O’Leary and McCourt are committed to finding a solution.
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