Millions of TikTok users in the United States are no longer able to watch videos on the social media platform as a federal ban on the immensely popular app takes effect. The company's app was removed Saturday evening from prominent app stores,

The app had more than 170 million monthly users in the U.S. The black-out is the result of a law forcing the service offline unless it sheds its ties to ByteDance, its China-based parent company.

TikTok went dark for users across the U.S. late Saturday as the app notified users of a ban that went into effect just days before President-elect Trump's inauguration.

As TikTok users flock to RedNote, there are several considerations, including the privacy of your data. Here’s what you need to know.

The video app that once styled itself a joyful politics-free zone is now bracing for a nationwide ban and pinning its hopes on President-elect Donald Trump.

TikTok isn’t the villain here. It’s a symptom of a much larger issue: the lack of clear, enforceable rules for data privacy and security. Instead of banning the app, the government should focus on fixing the system.

President-elect Donald Trump spoke on the possibility of delaying a ban less than 24 hours from when the social media app is expected to shut down.

Second, however, TikTok does present a danger. But it’s the same danger all the social media platforms present: they collect large amounts of personal data from users, including teens. (Some call TikTok's collection excessive.) But this is a story we’ve heard over and over.  They monetize invasive information for advertisers, no matter the danger.

TikTok will become impossible to access via an American internet connection. It probably will remain possible to access from an American location, though. The rub is a virtual private network, which sets up an encrypted tunnel for internet browsing and can run it through practically any country.

If TikTok’s making this kind of effort, why aren’t other tech giants like Facebook or Google being held to ... it’s a form of censorship and “a burden on free speech.”

TikTok is now unavailable in the United States—and getting around the ban isn’t as simple as using a VPN. Here’s what you need to know.