Americans flood 911 lines amid TikTok ban

A ban on TikTok has taken effect in the US, leading to a surge in calls from citizens to the 911 emergency service. 

Users who encountered the app’s blockage attempted to seek assistance by dialling 911. However, such calls do not constitute emergencies and are not an appropriate use of the emergency service.

According to El País, TikTok has ceased operations in the US, affecting 170 million users. The app has been removed from the Apple and Google stores, and users attempting to log in see a message stating that the platform is unavailable. 

The ban was introduced on national security grounds due to the control of the app by Chinese company ByteDance.