Sapna Maheshwari

The popular social media app was removed to comply with a new law that banned it in the United States. President Trump has paused enforcement of the ban.

A new law says TikTok must be sold to a non-Chinese owner or face a ban in the United States. President Trump has thrown out a lot of options for a potential sale.

The federal law banning TikTok has revealed a major schism among American tech companies: Some are willing to flout the law — and some, including Apple and Google, are not.

What happened to the popular video app? And what can Donald Trump actually do about it?

The popular video app went dark in the United States late Saturday and then came back around noon on Sunday, even as a law banning it took effect.

TikTok is set to be blocked in the U.S. after the Supreme Court upheld a law that effectively bans the app. TikTok, a Chinese-owned social media platform, has drawn scrutiny from lawmakers for its national security risks and its ties to China. Sapna Maheshwari, a business reporter for The New York Times, examines the security concerns and the reactions to the news.

The app has repeatedly name checked the president-elect in pop-up messages and statements, as it navigates a ban in the United States unless it is sold to a non-Chinese owner.

After a decisive loss at the Supreme Court, the app is set to be blocked in the U.S. starting Sunday, ending its streak of Houdini-like escapes.

The popular video app stopped working shortly before a federal law barring U.S. companies from hosting or distributing TikTok was set to take effect on Sunday.

Ahead of a Supreme Court ruling, they are mocking U.S. national security concerns about the Chinese-owned app.