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TikTok says it will ‘go dark’ without US government action

Published

1 year ago

January 17, 2025

TikTok says it will ‘go dark’ without US government action

TikTok on Friday warned of an imminent blackout for its 170mn US users after the Supreme Court upheld a divest-or-ban law targeting the video app.

The law compels TikTok’s Chinese parent ByteDance to sell the platform by January 19 — the day before Donald Trump returns as US president — or face a nationwide ban.

“There is no doubt that, for more than 170mn Americans, TikTok offers a distinctive and expansive outlet for expression, means of engagement, and source of community,” the Supreme Court wrote in a unanimous opinion published on Friday.

“But Congress has determined that divestiture is necessary to address its well-supported national security concerns regarding TikTok’s data collection practices and relationship with a foreign adversary,” it added.

Following the ruling, Joe Biden’s administration said the outgoing president would not enforce the ban during his remaining days in office.

“Given the sheer fact of timing, this administration recognises that actions to implement the law simply must fall to the next administration, which takes office on Monday,” the White House said.

But TikTok late on Friday said statements from the White House as well as from the Department of Justice had “failed to provide the necessary clarity and assurance to the service providers that are integral to maintaining TikTok’s availability” in the US.

It added: “Unless the Biden administration immediately provides a definitive statement to satisfy the most critical service providers assuring non-enforcement, unfortunately TikTok will be forced to go dark on January 19.”

Under the terms of the law, without a sale, it will be unlawful for companies to provide services to distribute or host the video app, or they will face fines of $5,000 per user.

It remains unclear whether tech groups such as Apple, Google and Oracle, which offer such services to TikTok in the US, would take the risk of continuing to partner with the company over the weekend. It is also unclear whether the app could also take itself offline deliberately, to protect its partners.

Apple, Google and Oracle did not respond to requests for comment.

Trump said in a post on Truth Social after the ruling that his “decision on TikTok will be made in the not too distant future, but I must have time to review the situation”, adding that the court’s decision was “expected, and everyone must respect it”.

In a video posted on TikTok following the court’s decision, the group’s chief executive Shou Zi Chew gave no reassurances on whether the app would continue to function in the US on Sunday, but lavished Trump with praise.

“I want to thank president Trump for his commitment to work with us to find a solution that keeps TikTok available in the United States. This is a strong stand for the First Amendment and against arbitrary censorship,” he said, adding the president-elect “truly understands” the platform.

US attorney-general Merrick Garland said the court’s decision “enables the justice department to prevent the Chinese government from weaponising TikTok to undermine America’s national security”.

Deputy US attorney-general Lisa Monaco said the “next phase of this effort — implementing and ensuring compliance with the law after it goes into effect on January 19 — will be a process that plays out over time”.

TikTok has said any spin-off would be technologically unfeasible, while Beijing has indicated it would oppose any sale.

The court’s ruling was handed down shortly after Trump on Friday said he had discussed TikTok on a call with China’s President Xi Jinping. It was the first call between the leaders in four years.

The Supreme Court’s ruling upholds one of the boldest legislative moves of Biden’s term just days before the Democratic president leaves the White House.

On Thursday, Trump’s incoming national security adviser Mike Waltz said the legislation “allows for an extension as long as a viable deal is on the table. Essentially that buys president Trump time to keep TikTok going”.

Chinese officials have held preliminary discussions about whether billionaire Elon Musk — now a close ally of Trump — could broker a deal for the app’s sale, the Financial Times reported this week.

Some potential buyers and partners have been circling and lobbying Trump. These include Frank McCourt, an American media and sports businessman, who has established a consortium of investors that would bid for TikTok through his non-profit entity, Project Liberty.

TikTok chief Chew has mounted a charm offensive to cement Trump’s backing, including plans to attend a “victory rally” for the president-elect in Washington on Sunday and his inauguration on Monday, said two people familiar with the matter.

Concerns Beijing could use the app for espionage or to spread propaganda spurred the law, which was passed with strong bipartisan support last year.

Even though China “has not yet leveraged its relationship with ByteDance Ltd to access US TikTok users’ data”, the top court said, there was “no basis for concluding that the government’s determination that China might do so is not at least a ‘reasonable inferenc[e] based on substantial evidence’.”

TikTok asked the Supreme Court to hear its case after a US appeals court rejected its challenge to the law, as well as its subsequent request to halt the measure pending further court proceedings.

The company sought to throw out the law by arguing it was unconstitutional and it violated First Amendment protections for free speech.

Additional reporting by Aime Williams in Washington and Stephen Morris and Michael Acton in San Francisco

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Explosion at Lumber Mill in Searsmont, Maine, Draws Large Emergency Response

Published

6 hours ago

May 15, 2026

Press Room

Explosion at Lumber Mill in Searsmont, Maine, Draws Large Emergency Response

An explosion and fire drew a large emergency response on Friday to a lumber mill in the Midcoast region of Maine, officials said.

The State Police and fire marshal’s investigators responded to Robbins Lumber in Searsmont, about 72 miles northeast of Portland, said Shannon Moss, a spokeswoman for the Maine Department of Public Safety.

Mike Larrivee, the director of the Waldo County Regional Communications Center, said the number of victims was unknown, cautioning that “the information we’re getting from the scene is very vague.”

“We’ve sent every resource in the county to that area, plus surrounding counties,” he said.

Footage from the scene shared by WABI-TV showed flames burning through the roof of a large structure as heavy, dark smoke billowed skyward.

The Associated Press reported that at least five people were injured, and that county officials were considering the incident a “mass casualty event.”

Catherine Robbins-Halsted, an owner and vice president at Robbins Lumber, told reporters at the scene that all of the company’s employees had been accounted for.

Gov. Janet T. Mills of Maine said on social media that she had been briefed on the situation and urged people to avoid the area.

“I ask Maine people to join me in keeping all those affected in their thoughts,” she said.

Representative Jared Golden, Democrat of Maine, said on social media that he was aware of the fire and explosion.

“As my team and I seek out more information, I am praying for the safety and well-being of first responders and everyone else on-site,” he said.

This is a developing story. Check back for updates.

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Woman killed in Atlanta Beltline stabbing identified

Published

8 hours ago

May 15, 2026

Press Room

Woman killed in Atlanta Beltline stabbing identified

article

Crime scene tape surrounds a bicycle in front of St. Lukes Episcopal Church in Atlanta on May 14, 2026. (SKYFOX 5)

ATLANTA – The woman stabbed to death on the Beltline has been identified as 23-year-old Alyssa Paige, according to the Fulton County Medical Examiner.

The backstory:

Paige was killed by a 21-year-old man Thursday afternoon while she was on the Beltline. Officials confirmed to FOX 5 that the stabbing happened near the 1700 block of Flagler Avenue NE.

Atlanta Police Chief Darin Schierbaum said the department was alerted around 12:10 p.m. that a woman had been stabbed just north of the Montgomery Ferry Drive overpass. She was rushed to Grady Memorial Hospital where she later died. Another person was also stabbed during the incident, but their condition remains unknown.

According to officers, the man responsible attacked a U.S. Postal worker prior to the stabbing before getting away on a bike. He then used that bike to flee the scene of the stabbing as well.

The suspect was arrested near St. Luke’s Episcopal Church on Peachtree Street in Midtown around 5:25 p.m.

What we don’t know:

While officials haven’t released an official motive, they noted the man may have been suffering a mental health crisis.

The Source: Information in this article came from the Fulton County Medical Examiner’s Office and previous FOX 5 reporting.

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Man Charged With Posting Bomb Instructions Used in New Orleans Attack

Published

18 hours ago

May 15, 2026

Press Room

Man Charged With Posting Bomb Instructions Used in New Orleans Attack

Federal prosecutors have filed charges against a former Army serviceman they accused of distributing instructions on how to build explosives that were used by a man who conducted a deadly attack in New Orleans on New Year’s Day last year.

The former serviceman, Jordan A. Derrick, a 40-year-old from Missouri, was charged with one count of engaging in the business of manufacturing explosive materials without a license; one count of unlawful possession of an unregistered destructive device; and one count of distributing information relating to manufacturing explosives, according to a criminal complaint unsealed on Wednesday. The three charges together carry a maximum sentence of 40 years in federal prison.

Starting in September 2023, the authorities said, Mr. Derrick was using various social media sites to share videos of himself making explosive materials, including detonators. His videos provided step-by-step instructions, and he often engaged with viewers in comments, sometimes answering their questions about the chemistry behind the explosives.

The authorities said that Mr. Derrick’s videos were downloaded by Shamsud-Din Bahar Jabbar, 42, who was accused of ramming a pickup truck into a crowd on Bourbon Street in New Orleans on Jan. 1, 2025, in a terrorist attack that killed 14 people and injured dozens. Mr. Jabbar was killed in a shootout with the police. Before the attack, Mr. Jabbar had placed two explosives on Bourbon Street, the authorities said, but they did not detonate.

The authorities later recovered two laptops and a USB drive in a house that Mr. Jabbar had rented. The USB drive contained several videos created by Mr. Derrick that provided instructions on making explosives. The authorities said the explosives they recovered were consistent with the ones Mr. Derrick had posted about.

Mr. Derrick’s lawyers did not respond to requests for comment.

Mr. Derrick was a combat engineer in the Army, where he provided personnel and vehicle support, the authorities said. He also helped supervise safety personnel during demolitions and various operations. He was honorably discharged in February 2013.

The authorities did not say whether Mr. Derrick had any communication with Mr. Jabbar, or whether the men had known each other. In some of Mr. Derrick’s videos and comments, he indicated that he was aware that his videos could be misused.

“There are a plethora of uh, moral, you know, entanglements with topics, any topic of teaching explosives, right?” he asked in one video, according to the affidavit. “Of course, the wrong people could get it.”

The authorities also said that an explosion occurred at a private residence in Odessa, Mo., on May 4, and the occupant of the residence told investigators that he had manufactured explosives after watching online tutorials from Mr. Derrick.

Mr. Derrick’s YouTube account had more than 15,000 subscribers and 20 published videos, the affidavit said. He had also posted content on other platforms, including Odysee and Patreon. Some videos were accessible to the public for free, while others required a paid subscription to view.

“My responsibility to my countrymen is to make sure that I serve the function of the Second Amendment to strengthen it,” Mr. Derrick said in one of his videos, according to the affidavit. “This is how I serve my country for real.”

Outside of the income he received through content creation, Mr. Derrick did not have any known employment. He did receive a monthly disability check from Veterans Affairs, the affidavit stated.