TikTok suspends its services in the United States: genZ as a strategic lever to influence the American government?

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This Saturday, TikTok brought forward the suspension of its services in the United States. With 170 million users in the United States, this sudden withdrawal goes beyond the simple interruption of a digital service: it marks a clear attempt by TikTok to mobilize its cultural and economic influence to influence political decisions.

American TikTok users were greeted this Saturday with a terse message on the application: “Sorry, TikTok is not available at the moment. » The message continues: “A law banning TikTok has been passed in the United States. Unfortunately, this means you can’t use TikTok at the moment. » ByteDance, which has so far strongly opposed accusations of threatening national security, did not hesitate to include a political statement in its message: “President-elect Trump has indicated that he will work with us to restore TikTok once it’s up and running. Stay connected! »



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At the same time, the application was removed from the Apple and Google stores, making further downloads impossible. Affiliated services like CapCut and Lemon8 have also stopped operating on American soil.

Pressure on the Trump administration

This suspension comes in a tense geopolitical context between the United States and China. In April 2024, President Biden signed a law requiring ByteDance to hand over TikTok to a non-Chinese owner, or face banishment. The law, validated Friday by the Supreme Court, was left to the discretion of the Trump administration for its application.

Donald Trump, while remaining critical of ByteDance, adopted an ambivalent posture. During the 2024 presidential campaign, he opened a TikTok account and declared that he would “save TikTok”. On Saturday, he said he would “very likely” consider extending the 90-day deadline for ByteDance to sell the app.

A brutal cut with the aim of having a shock effect on GenZ?

With this ruling, ByteDance is addressing the government, hitting with an uppercut the massive base of American users, mainly from Generation Z. This hyperconnected population, accustomed to using TikTok as a space for expression, entertainment and activism, could now turn against the government.

Influencers, dependent on TikTok for their visibility and income, are particularly affected. Out of spite, and vain hope? to see their business maintained, many of them published farewell messages or invited their communities to follow them on other platforms like Instagram Reels or YouTube Shorts.