Challenges came in tandem with TikTok’s success. U.S. officials expressed concerns about the company’s roots and ownership, pointing to laws in China that require Chinese companies to hand over data requested by the government. Another concern became the proprietary algorithm that populates what users see on the app.

Users were unable to access TikTok Saturday, instead seeing a pop-up message on their screens saying "a law banning TikTok has been enacted."