TikTok users in the US are no longer able to access the app, as it was taken offline hours before a new law banning the social media platform was set to take effect.
The ban on the platform is enforced on January 19 in the US.
“A law banning TikTok has been enacted in the US. Unfortunately, that means you can't use TikTok for now,” the notification received by users said.
“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,” it added.
The move comes after US president-elect Donald Trump said on Saturday that he would “most likely” give the platform a 90-day reprieve from the ban after he takes office on Monday.
“The 90-day extension is something that will be most likely done, because it's appropriate,” Mr Trump told NBC. “If I decide to do that, I'll probably announce it on Monday.”
On Sunday, Mr Trump announced his intention to issue an executive order after taking office on Monday, allowing TikTok to continue its operations. Additionally, he expressed his desire for the US to hold a 50 per cent ownership stake in a potential joint venture.
“I 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” Mr Trump said on his Truth Social platform. "The order will also confirm that there will be no liability for any company that helped keep TikTok from going dark before my order."
Meanwhile, Apple also announced on Sunday that TikTok and ByteDance apps are no longer available in the US and that visitors to the country might have limited access to features.
Affected platforms include TikTok, TikTok Studio, TikTok Shop Seller Center, CapCut, Lemon8, Hypic, Lark – Team Collaboration, Lark – Rooms Display, Lark Rooms Controller, Gauth: AI Study Companion and Marvel Snap.
"Apple is obligated to follow the laws in the jurisdictions where it operates," it said.
For those who already have these apps installed on their devices, the apps will remain. However, they cannot be redownloaded if deleted or restored. In-app purchases and new subscriptions are no longer possible, Apple said.
The US Supreme Court on Friday backed the decision banning Chinese-owned TikTok unless it is sold to a US-based company.
Earlier this month, the Supreme Court heard arguments from ByteDance, the Chinese parent company of TikTok, as it sought to make the case that a law which would force it to sell the platform to a US entity was unconstitutional.
"TikTok’s scale and susceptibility to foreign adversary control, together with the vast swathes of sensitive data the platform collects, justify differential treatment to address the government’s national security concerns," read the unanimous decision by the US Supreme Court on Friday.
"A law targeting any other speaker would by necessity entail a distinct inquiry and separate considerations. On this understanding, we cannot accept petitioners’ call for strict scrutiny. No more than intermediate scrutiny is in order."
With about 170 million monthly active users in the US, TikTok is one of the most influential social media apps in the country.
While TikTok has experienced tremendous growth over the past few years, its data collection practices have caused much consternation among various data experts, elected officials and those tasked with ensuring US national security. Some have pointed out that although much of the TikTok's user data is now stored on US servers, ByteDance is still subject to the laws of China, which could give the Chinese government access to an unprecedented trove of US user data.
TikTok and ByteDance have repeatedly dismissed those concerns and denied that any US user data is in danger of being compromised. The company moved much of its user data to US-based servers run by Oracle, but ultimately critics and elected officials have pointed out that because ByteDance is subject to the laws of China, there is still a national security risk.
In April last year, in a bipartisan vote, Congress passed a law that sought to force ByteDance to sell TikTok to a US individual or entity, or risk being banned by January 19. ByteDance has repeatedly said it will not sell TikTok, and plans to go dark in the US on the deadline.
Mr Trump, who as president in 2020, issued an executive order emphasising user data concerns related to TikTok because its parent company was based in China, has since changed his stance.
He joined the platform during his presidential campaign last year, quickly gaining millions of followers.
TikTok's chief executive, Shou Zi Chew, plans to attend Mr Trump’s inauguration in some capacity, along with the heads of other technology companies.
The Case For Trump
By Victor Davis Hanson
Sole survivors
- Cecelia Crocker was on board Northwest Airlines Flight 255 in 1987 when it crashed in Detroit, killing 154 people, including her parents and brother. The plane had hit a light pole on take off
- George Lamson Jr, from Minnesota, was on a Galaxy Airlines flight that crashed in Reno in 1985, killing 68 people. His entire seat was launched out of the plane
- Bahia Bakari, then 12, survived when a Yemenia Airways flight crashed near the Comoros in 2009, killing 152. She was found clinging to wreckage after floating in the ocean for 13 hours.
- Jim Polehinke was the co-pilot and sole survivor of a 2006 Comair flight that crashed in Lexington, Kentucky, killing 49.
Labour dispute
The insured employee may still file an ILOE claim even if a labour dispute is ongoing post termination, but the insurer may suspend or reject payment, until the courts resolve the dispute, especially if the reason for termination is contested. The outcome of the labour court proceedings can directly affect eligibility.
- Abdullah Ishnaneh, Partner, BSA Law
Strait of Hormuz
Fujairah is a crucial hub for fuel storage and is just outside the Strait of Hormuz, a vital shipping route linking Middle East oil producers to markets in Asia, Europe, North America and beyond.
The strait is 33 km wide at its narrowest point, but the shipping lane is just three km wide in either direction. Almost a fifth of oil consumed across the world passes through the strait.
Iran has repeatedly threatened to close the strait, a move that would risk inviting geopolitical and economic turmoil.
Last month, Iran issued a new warning that it would block the strait, if it was prevented from using the waterway following a US decision to end exemptions from sanctions for major Iranian oil importers.
Cracks in the Wall
Ben White, Pluto Press
BACK%20TO%20ALEXANDRIA
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What are the main cyber security threats?
Cyber crime - This includes fraud, impersonation, scams and deepfake technology, tactics that are increasingly targeting infrastructure and exploiting human vulnerabilities.
Cyber terrorism - Social media platforms are used to spread radical ideologies, misinformation and disinformation, often with the aim of disrupting critical infrastructure such as power grids.
Cyber warfare - Shaped by geopolitical tension, hostile actors seek to infiltrate and compromise national infrastructure, using one country’s systems as a springboard to launch attacks on others.
Dubai World Cup Carnival Card:
6.30pm: Handicap US$135,000 (Turf) 1,200m
7.05pm: Handicap $135,000 (Dirt) 1,200m
7.40pm: Zabeel Turf Listed $175,000 (T) 2,000m
8.15pm: Cape Verdi Group Two $250,000 (T) 1,600m
8.50pm: Handicap $135,000 (D) 1,600m
9.25pm: Handicap $175,000 (T) 1,600m
UPI facts
More than 2.2 million Indian tourists arrived in UAE in 2023
More than 3.5 million Indians reside in UAE
Indian tourists can make purchases in UAE using rupee accounts in India through QR-code-based UPI real-time payment systems
Indian residents in UAE can use their non-resident NRO and NRE accounts held in Indian banks linked to a UAE mobile number for UPI transactions
RESULT
Kolkata Knight Riders 169-7 (20 ovs)
Rajasthan Royals 144-4 (20 ovs)
Kolkata win by 25 runs
Next match
Sunrisers Hyderabad v Kolkata Knight Riders, Friday, 5.30pm
Innotech Profile
Date started: 2013
Founder/CEO: Othman Al Mandhari
Based: Muscat, Oman
Sector: Additive manufacturing, 3D printing technologies
Size: 15 full-time employees
Stage: Seed stage and seeking Series A round of financing
Investors: Oman Technology Fund from 2017 to 2019, exited through an agreement with a new investor to secure new funding that it under negotiation right now.
BMW M5 specs
Engine: 4.4-litre twin-turbo V-8 petrol enging with additional electric motor
Power: 727hp
Torque: 1,000Nm
Transmission: 8-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 10.6L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh650,000
More from Neighbourhood Watch:
UK-EU trade at a glance
EU fishing vessels guaranteed access to UK waters for 12 years
Co-operation on security initiatives and procurement of defence products
Youth experience scheme to work, study or volunteer in UK and EU countries
Smoother border management with use of e-gates
Cutting red tape on import and export of food
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
THE BIG MATCH
Arsenal v Manchester City,
Sunday, Emirates Stadium, 6.30pm
About Proto21
Date started: May 2018
Founder: Pir Arkam
Based: Dubai
Sector: Additive manufacturing (aka, 3D printing)
Staff: 18
Funding: Invested, supported and partnered by Joseph Group
More on animal trafficking
More from Neighbourhood Watch:
Jetour T1 specs
Engine: 2-litre turbocharged
Power: 254hp
Torque: 390Nm
Price: From Dh126,000
Available: Now
Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
Specs
Engine: Electric motor generating 54.2kWh (Cooper SE and Aceman SE), 64.6kW (Countryman All4 SE)
Power: 218hp (Cooper and Aceman), 313hp (Countryman)
Torque: 330Nm (Cooper and Aceman), 494Nm (Countryman)
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh158,000 (Cooper), Dh168,000 (Aceman), Dh190,000 (Countryman)
Play-off fixtures
Two-legged ties to be played November 9-11 and November 12-14
- Northern Ireland v Switzerland
- Croatia v Greece
- Denmark v Ireland
- Sweden v Italy
THE SPECS
Engine: 6.75-litre twin-turbocharged V12 petrol engine
Power: 420kW
Torque: 780Nm
Transmission: 8-speed automatic
Price: From Dh1,350,000
On sale: Available for preorder now
Volvo ES90 Specs
Engine: Electric single motor (96kW), twin motor (106kW) and twin motor performance (106kW)
Power: 333hp, 449hp, 680hp
Torque: 480Nm, 670Nm, 870Nm
On sale: Later in 2025 or early 2026, depending on region
Price: Exact regional pricing TBA
Tips%20for%20holiday%20homeowners
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Villains
Queens of the Stone Age
Matador
COMPANY%20PROFILE
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Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
