TikTok is no longer available in the United States following a Supreme Court decision upholding a ban on the popular social media platform. The app, along with several others owned by parent company ByteDance, has voluntarily shut down operations in the US. This move follows Apple and Google removing TikTok from their respective app stores, the App Store and Google Play Store, halting new downloads and preventing updates, including critical security patches and new features.
Existing users attempting to access TikTok are greeted with a message stating the app is unavailable in the country. In-app purchases and subscriptions are also blocked. The message acknowledges the ban and mentions President-elect Donald Trump’s statement regarding a possible deadline extension.
TikTok access block message in the US.
The ban extends beyond TikTok to a suite of ByteDance-owned apps. Apple has confirmed that apps developed by ByteDance Ltd. and its subsidiaries, including CapCut, Lemon8, and others, will no longer be available for download or receive updates on the App Store.
Affected ByteDance Apps
The complete list of affected ByteDance-linked apps includes:
- TikTok
- TikTok Studio
- TikTok Shop Seller Center
- CapCut
- Lemon8
- Hypic
- Lark – Team Collaboration
- Lark – Rooms Display
- Lark Rooms Controller
- Gauth: AI Study Companion
- MARVEL SNAP
The duration of TikTok’s unavailability in the US remains uncertain. The possibility of a deadline extension under the incoming Trump administration is being discussed, which could provide TikTok with time to explore separating its US operations from its China-based parent company. Internal memos seen by The Verge indicate that TikTok is hopeful President Trump will work towards a solution to reinstate the platform.
Impact of the TikTok Ban
As of 2025, TikTok boasted over 170 million users in the US. This ban has far-reaching consequences, impacting not only content creators but also businesses that have invested significantly in advertising on the platform. This marks a significant event, as it’s the first time a major social media platform has been effectively shut down in the US market. This echoes a similar ban implemented in India in 2020, where TikTok had approximately 200 million users at the time. Other countries have also restricted TikTok usage on government-issued devices.
This unprecedented situation raises questions about the future of social media platforms and the evolving relationship between governments and technology companies. The long-term implications of this ban for the digital landscape and the online creator economy remain to be seen.
