TikTok made its online application inaccessible on Saturday in the United States, carrying out its threat for lack of guarantees from the Biden government, while indicating that Donald Trump “will work on a solution” with the platform for ” restore “.
“A law banning TikTok has been implemented in the United States”says a message if a connection attempt is made. “This means you can no longer use TikTok for now. »
“We are fortunate that President Trump has indicated that he will work with us on a solution to restore TikTok once he takes office”the text continues. “Stay tuned!” »
Since Friday, TikTok had urged the Biden government to send a clear signal to internet providers and application store managers to dissuade them from suspending downloads and updates.
On Friday, the White House estimated that “law enforcement (should) return to the next government, which will take office on Monday”according to a statement from spokesperson Karine Jean-Pierre.
The American Department of Justice, for its part, made it known that the implementation of the text voted by Congress by a large majority in April 2024, forcing the Chinese parent company ByteDance to sell TikTok under penalty of ban, would spread over time.
These statements “failed to provide necessary clarification and assurance to internet providers that are crucial to preserving TikTok’s availability to 170 million Americans”estimated the platform.
The law theoretically required providers to block downloads and updates during the night from Saturday to Sunday from midnight (Sunday at 05:00 GMT).
The text makes application stores liable to a fine of up to $5,000 per user, or $850 billion based on the number of users.
The law provides for the possibility for the president to suspend the entry into force for 90 days.
Karine Jean-Pierre called TikTok’s latest statement “maneuver”. “We see no reason for TikTok or other companies to act before the Trump administration takes office on Monday”.
Trump to the rescue
Seized by TikTok as a last resort, the American Supreme Court unanimously refused on Friday to suspend the law.
The nine senior magistrates considered that the concerns of Congress “in matters of national security” were “well-founded”.
American elected officials had justified the passing of the law by the need to prevent the Chinese authorities from accessing the data of American users or from manipulating opinion in the United States.
But if the platform was the subject of frank hostility from many American elected officials a year ago, the tide has since turned and a political consensus has emerged in recent days, favorable to the preservation of TikTok.
On Saturday, Donald Trump declared that he would study the matter closely once he was inaugurated on Monday, and that a “90 day postponement (would) probably be decreed”.
“If I decide, it will probably be Monday”clarified, during an interview with the NBC channel, the real estate developer, who had tried during his first mandate to have TikTok banned, in vain.
Suspension is theoretically only possible if tangible elements make a sale credible.
However, until now, ByteDance has always officially refused to sell its jewel, even if several investors have come forward.
Businessman Frank McCourt is ready to put $20 billion on the table with other partners, for the application’s American activities, without his powerful algorithm.
On Saturday, the artificial intelligence (AI) start-up Perplexity AI submitted a merger proposal to ByteDance with the American subsidiary of TikTok, a source close to the matter told AFP, which would value the social network at least 50 billion dollars.
Donald Trump brought up TikTok during a phone conversation Friday with Chinese President Xi Jinping.
And the boss of the social network, Shou Chew, is one of the guests of honor for his inauguration ceremony on Monday.