TikTok, the popular social media app, has officially gone dark in the United States as a federal ban on the platform takes effect. The app began notifying users in the US, including Verge staffers, around 6 PM Pacific time, stating that the ban will "make our services temporarily unavailable."

The move comes after TikTok's repeated warnings that it would be forced to go offline if the Biden administration didn't provide assurances to its service providers, such as Apple and Google, which can be fined thousands of dollars per US user of TikTok once the ban goes into effect. The Biden administration had dismissed TikTok's threat to go offline as a "stunt" and suggested that the incoming Trump administration should address the issue.

However, it remains unclear whether President-elect Trump will be able to save TikTok from the ban. Trump has indicated plans to extend the deadline for the ban by 90 days via an executive order once he is sworn in on January 20th. Nevertheless, the law upheld by the Supreme Court requires TikTok's Chinese parent company, ByteDance, to sell its ownership stake in the app for it to continue operating in the US.

The ban's implications are far-reaching, with millions of users in the US affected by the app's temporary unavailability. The move also raises concerns about the future of social media platforms and the role of government regulation in the tech industry. As the situation continues to unfold, users and industry experts alike are left wondering what's next for TikTok and the broader tech landscape.

For now, TikTok's fate hangs in the balance, with the app's temporary unavailability serving as a stark reminder of the ongoing tensions between tech companies and government regulators. As the story continues to develop, one thing is clear: the impact of this ban will be felt far beyond the confines of the TikTok app itself.

Stay tuned for further updates as this story continues to unfold.