TikTok is now not obtainable in the USA—a minimum of for now. But it surely’s not the one ByteDance-owned app that’s at the moment blocked for US-based customers.
Shortly earlier than the federally mandated January 19 deadline, TikTok reduce off entry to anybody making an attempt to entry the app from the US. “A legislation banning TikTok has been enacted within the US. Sadly, which means you’ll be able to’t use the TikTok app for now,” reads a block-screen confronting US customers once they try and load the app. “We’re lucky that President Trump has indicated that he’ll work with us on an answer to reinstate TikTok as soon as he takes workplace. Please keep tuned!”
Comparable notifications seem on different apps owned by ByteDance, TikTok’s mother or father firm, which relies in China and sits on the core of the controversy over a preferred video app that, a minimum of till Saturday, had 170 million customers within the US. Video-editing app CapCut, photo- and video-sharing app Lemon8, and others have now gone darkish within the US.
A federal legislation handed final 12 months bans ByteDance-owned apps from working within the US on nationwide safety grounds. In response to Chinese language legal guidelines that demand China-based corporations present their information to the Chinese language authorities and intelligence businesses, the Defending People From International Adversary Managed Purposes Act (PAFACA) required ByteDance to promote TikTok and its different apps to an entity not based mostly in China by Sunday.
That sale didn’t occur. Consequently, TikTok started blocking US-based customers on Saturday, January 18, forward of the midnight deadline. As a result of PAFACA bans all apps operated by ByteDance, not simply TikTok, customers of its myriad different apps are assembly the identical restrictions.
PAFACA doesn’t require ByteDance to dam US-based customers of its apps. As a substitute, it prohibits any US firm from offering any service to “distribute, keep or replace” ByteDance-owned apps. Consequently, many of those apps are now not obtainable in Apple and Google’s app shops. That will change quickly after Donald Trump takes workplace on Monday, nonetheless, with the US president-elect indicating that he plans to increase the deadline for a sale of TikTok by 90 days. Sure, it’s all very complicated.
For now, right here’s the rundown of all of the apps US customers can now not entry because of the US ban on ByteDance-owned apps.
TikTok, TikTok Studio, TikTok Store Vendor, TikTok Lite
Not simply TikTok, however different ByteDance-owned apps that work for the TikTok ecosystem have additionally turn into unavailable together with the principle app. These embody TikTok Studio (for creators to handle content material and test analytics), TikTok Store Vendor (for ecommerce sellers on the app to handle their enterprise operations), and TikTok Lite (a smaller and sooner model of the unique app that’s solely obtainable in sure nations).
CapCut
CapCut is a free video-editing instrument, optimized for vertical movies that may be posted on TikTok. It’s typically the app of selection for newbie creators, as a result of its skilled options. Some creators additionally use CapCut to first produce movies earlier than importing them to platforms aside from TikTok.
Lemon8
ByteDance launched Lemon8 in February 2023 as a photo-based social media app. It’s identified for resembling RedNote, a very profitable social media app in China that has additionally turn into the vacation spot for a lot of TikTok customers in exile this week. Some TikTok customers had additionally chosen emigrate to Lemon8, however the app has additionally gone offline.
Gauth
With Gauth, college students can take footage of their homework, and the app will use synthetic intelligence to know the issue and supply step-by-step options. It additionally has different options that assist college students be extra productive whereas finding out. In keeping with the app’s shutdown announcement this weekend, it has “helped 300 million customers with billions of questions.”
Hypic
Hypic, launched in 2022, is a photo-editing instrument with a heavy deal with generative AI instruments. It makes use of AI to assist customers improve photograph high quality or rework a photograph right into a cartoon.
Lark
Lark is a Slack-like workspace communications app. Initially created for ByteDance’s personal inner messages amongst staff, it has now turn into one of many most-used workplace communications apps in China, with a number of million energetic customers.
Melolo, Fizzo, MyTopia Books
Poligon, a Singapore-based subsidiary of ByteDance, publishes a number of apps that enable customers to look at brief vertical dramas (Melolo) or learn on-line fiction novels (Fizzo and MyTopia Books). MyTopia Books is the one a kind of apps that didn’t finish assist for US-based customers, and in some way stays obtainable on Apple’s US App Retailer.
Tokopedia
Tokopedia is one in all Indonesia’s largest ecommerce platforms. It was acquired by ByteDance in December 2023 and merged with TikTok Store’s operation within the nation after the Indonesian authorities banned the latter app, citing “the necessity to shield smaller retailers and customers’ information.”
It has turn into unavailable on Apple’s US App Retailer however stays obtainable on Google’s US Play Retailer as of publication.
