TikTok is no more Available in the United States– at least for now. But it's not the only app currently owned by ByteDance Blocked for US-based users,
Shortly before the federally mandated January 19 deadline, TikTok closed access to anyone attempting to access the app from the US. “A law banning TikTok has been enacted in the US. Unfortunately, this means you can't use the TikTok app right now,” reads a block on-screen when US users attempt to load the app. We do. “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!”
Similar notices appear on other apps owned by TikTok's parent company ByteDance, which is based in China and is at the center of a controversy over a popular video app that had 170 million users in the US as of at least Saturday. Video-editing app CapCut, photo- and video-sharing app Lemon8, and other apps are now shut down in the US.
a federal law passed last year Restricts ByteDance-owned apps from operating in the US on national security grounds. In response to Chinese laws that demand that China-based companies provide their data to the Chinese government and intelligence agencies Protecting Americans from Foreign Enemies Controlled Applications Act (PAFACA) required ByteDance to sell TikTok and its other apps to an entity not based in China by Sunday.
That sale did not happen. As a result, TikTok began blocking US-based users even before the midnight deadline on Saturday, January 18. Because PAFACA bans all apps operated by ByteDance, not just TikTok, users of its myriad other apps are also subject to similar restrictions.
PAFACA does not require ByteDance to block US-based users of its apps. Instead, it prohibits any US company from providing any services to “distribute, maintain, or update” ByteDance-owned apps. As a result, many of these apps are no longer available in Apple and Google's app stores. This may soon change after Donald Trump takes office on Monday, however, as the US President-elect has indicated that he plans to extend TikTok's sale deadline by 90 days. Yes, it's all very confusing.
For now, here are the details of all the apps that US users can no longer access due to the US ban on ByteDance-owned apps.
TikTok, TikTok Studio, TikTok Shop Seller, TikTok Lite
Not just TikTok, but other ByteDance-owned apps that work for the TikTok ecosystem have also become unavailable along with the main app. These include TikTok Studio (for creators to manage content and check analytics), TikTok Shop Seller (for ecommerce sellers on the app to manage their business operations), and TikTok Lite (a miniaturized version of the original app. and a faster version that is only available in certain regions). Country).
capcut
CapCut is a free video-editing tool optimized for vertical videos that can be posted on TikTok. It is often the app of choice for amateur creators due to its professional features. Some creators also use CapCut to create videos before uploading them to platforms other than TikTok.
lemon8
ByteDance released Lemon8 in February 2023 as a photo-based social media app. It is known for its similarity RedNote, a particularly successful social media app In China which has also become the destination for many TikTok users deported this week. Some TikTok users also opted to migrate to Lemon8, but the app has also gone offline.
goth
With Goth, students can take pictures of their homework, and the app will Use artificial intelligence to understand the problem And provide step-by-step solutions. It also has other features that help students be more productive while studying. according to app announcement of closure As of this weekend, it has “helped 300 million users with billions of queries.”
hypic
Hypic, launched in 2022, is a photo-editing tool with a heavy focus on generative AI tools. It uses AI to help users enhance photo quality or turn photos into cartoons.
slag
Lark is a Slack-like workspace communication app. Originally created for ByteDance's own internal messages between employees, it has now become one of the most used office communication apps in China with several million active users.
Melolo, Phizo, Mytopia Books
ByteDance's Singapore-based subsidiary Polygon publishes several apps that offer users to watch short vertical dramas (Melolo) or read fiction novels online (Fizo and Mytopia Books). Mytopia Books is the only one of the apps that has not ended support for US-based users, and is somehow available on Apple's US App Store.
Tokopedia
Tokopedia is one of the largest ecommerce platforms in Indonesia. It was acquired by ByteDance in December 2023 and merged with TikTok Shop operations in the country after the Indonesian government banned the latter app. with citing a reference “The need to protect the data of small merchants and users.”
It has become unavailable on Apple's US App Store but is available on Google's US Play Store as of the time of publishing.