It's hard to believe that the time has finally come for the denizens of the United States of America. TikTok has been a cultural staple for the West for a very long time, and now its reign over us has ended. Is this liberation, or an affront to freedom?
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Everyone knows that January 19th was the doomsday for TikTok. In the past couple of hours, U.S. users have finally been unable to access the app. A notice appears on any U.S. user that attempts to open the app.
It reads, "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 only options are to close the app or learn more.
So it's official. For the time being, TikTok is not usable by anyone in the United States. Some won't be affected by this whatsoever, and some may even be relieved that it's gone. For most, however, this is devastating.
Internet Reacts To TikTok Being Shut Down
People have taken to other social media sites to share their thoughts in comments and through posts. X especially has a lot of noise surrounding the event.
Some believe that shutting down the app is an infringement of American rights.
"This is an attack on free speech," writes one.
"Don't let the Government take your GOD given rights! Preserve the 1st Amendment!" exclaims another.
Others are relieved it's over, believing the app to have been a negative influence on society.
"Good riddance! TikTok was nothing more than a breeding ground for cringe, misinformation, and attention-seeking behavior. Maybe now people will spend less time scrolling and more time focusing on real-life connections and productivity. A step in the right direction for society!" claims one.
Interestingly, there have been reports of Canadians suffering the shut down, despite owning phones bought in Canada. That's likely to be a coding or technological hiccup, however.
Whether you liked it or hated it, TikTok was a huge cornerstone of the current culture that made the world a little smaller. The news is still fresh, so we'll have to see the effects of a Western world without TikTok.
Unless you live anywhere else in the West, of course.
