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TikTok has gone dark for US users following a statement from the company calling out the “Biden White House” for not providing the necessary “clarity and assurance.”
According to ABC News, White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre also reacted to the company’s statement on Saturday. Jean-Pierre called the app’s closure before Trump took office a “stunt,” as she said,
“We have seen the most recent statement from TikTok. It is a stunt, and we see no reason for TikTok or other companies to take actions in the next few days before the Trump Administration takes office on Monday.”
Referring to the official statement from January 17, Jean-Pierre reiterated Biden White House’s stance,
“We have laid out our position clearly and straightforwardly: actions to implement this law will fall to the next administration. So TikTok and other companies should take up any concerns with them.”
With the app starting going dark before January 19 and the WH Press Secretary calling it a “stunt,” internet users were quick to share their opinions. A user even correlated the events with a “custody battle” gone wrong, as she wrote,
“This custody battle is too messy.”
Read on to learn how others reacted to the app going dark and Jean-Pierre’s remarks.
Internet reacts as TikTok goes dark after WH Press Secretary’s “stunt” remark
ByteDance’s video hosting app, which had close to 170 million users in the US, is no longer accessible to the majority. The Chinese company has seemingly self-implemented the ban on its short-form video platform, while the outgoing WH Press called the same a “stunt.” Amidst everything, here are some of the reactions from Instagram:
“Not a stunt lol it's down,” a user said.
“MANN I JS CRIED,” another user shared.
“Is it me or is this childish ?,” someone asked.
“Just ban it atp,” another one suggested.
A user said jokingly,
“Soooo is it getting banned or not? Not reading all that.”
Another user pointed out the premature ban,
“Omg it ain't even the 19th yetttt.”
Someone claimed,
“Y'all stressing me out listen.”
Another one added,
“Definitely wasn't a stunt big brudda.”
Before ByteDance announced the shuttering of the app, the White House had released a statement on January 17 announcing that the Trump administration would implement the law.
The statement talked about how the Biden administration was also awaiting the SCOTUS (Supreme Court of the United States) ruling on the matter. It further delves into the outgoing president's stance and adds,
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“TikTok should remain available to Americans, but simply under American ownership or other ownership that addresses the national security concerns identified by Congress in developing this law. Given the sheer fact of timing, this Administration recognizes that actions to implement the law simply must fall to the next Administration, which takes office on Monday. “
President-elect Donald Trump had previously asked SCOTUS to pause the app’s ban. Trump will soon take office after his second inauguration on January 20, 2025. However, even before the Trump administration could assume the duties, the app had stopped its US operations.
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