TikTok went offline in the US hours before the ban came into effect

Users have reported that the app has also been removed from the US Apple and Google app stores and TikTok.com is not showing the videos.

Lawmakers voted to ban the app last year over concerns about its ties to the Chinese government. TikTok has repeatedly stated that it does not share information with Beijing.

The law, which was passed in April last year, required TikTok’s China-based parent company ByteDance to sell the US version of the platform to a neutral party by January 19 to avoid an outright ban, which it has not yet done.

TikTok challenged the law, saying it violated free speech protections for its 170 million users in the country.

In the hours leading up to the social media platform going offline, content creators have been posting videos to say goodbye to their followers.

Creator Nicole Bloomgarden told the BBC that not being on TikTok would result in a significant pay cut.

Another user Erika Thompson said that educational content on the platform would be the “biggest loss” for the community.