Apple has officially removed TikTok and several other apps developed by ByteDance from the U.S. App Store following a Supreme Court decision upholding a law aimed at restricting foreign-controlled applications.
The move came into effect on January 19, 2025, as part of compliance with the Protecting Americans from Foreign Adversary Controlled Applications Act.
Affected Apps
The list of blocked apps includes popular platforms such as:
– TikTok
– TikTok Studio
– TikTok Shop Seller Center
– CapCut
– Lemon8
– Hypic
– Marvel Snap
– Lark – Team Collaboration
– Lark – Rooms Display
– Lark Rooms Controller
These apps can no longer be downloaded or updated in the U.S., and in-app purchases are disabled for affected users.
Travelers visiting the U.S. with accounts set to non-U.S. regions are also restricted from accessing updates or services for these apps.
The restrictions stem from legislation enacted last year, which mandates that companies like ByteDance either divest from certain apps or face a ban. The law was upheld by the Supreme Court, leading major platforms like Apple and Google to comply.
TikTok, a widely used short-video platform, has faced scrutiny over its ties to ByteDance, a company headquartered in China. U.S. officials have expressed concerns about potential data security risks and foreign influence.
