hello. i'm christian fraser. welcome to the programme. we want to bring you some breaking news — the social media app tiktok has gone dark for most american users one hour ahead of a midnight ban here in the united states. in the past few minutes, users opening tiktok have suddenly been met with this message saying the app is unavailable right now. it goes on to say: "we are fortunate that president trump indicated "that he will work with us on a solution to reinstate "tiktok once he takes office. "stay tuned!" the app also appears to be unavailable in the apple store and google play store. the tiktok ban will be one of the first things donald trump will need to tackle when he gets to the oval office. he has told reporters today he will most likely give the chinese—owned company

a 90—day reprieve. there is a provision for that in the legislation. but it may not be enough, as we're finding out, to prevent the app going dark for at least 2a hours. earlier, the outgoing biden administration dismissed tiktok�*s warning that its operations would be suspended sunday as no more than a stunt. the press secretary said there was no reason for the app to take action before trump takes office on monday. it appears it is the service carrying tiktok that are wary of the new legislation. —— servers. i've been speaking with tiktok content creator dylan hollis. he has 10.2 million followers! i don't know, i can hardly count that high! well, i hope they are all going to stay with you. what do you do? you bake online, you have two popular cookbooks. so tell me how important tiktok is to your business. well, heavens, i mean, how important is wind

to a sailing boat?! it is very difficult to think about what is going to happen. i do, i've got two cookbooks, and that has only happened because of tiktok. what is an entertainer to do without an audience? and to see a timer counting down to when 10.2 million people are going to vanish in front of you — heavens, it's hard to know how to feel. the white house said the warning from tiktok is a stunt, but maybe it's not, because i'm looking at a news flash on my screen here. in the last few minutes, 0racle prepares to start shutting tiktok servers saturday night. so it's notjust tiktok, this. it's the cloud computing companies that carry the service who are worried they might be liable under this law. yeah, it's understandable that everyone's running around, you know, sort of like chickens without their heads, because, yeah, there is some seriousness to it. i would not say it's a stunt. there's too many

people involved. you've got some of my contemporaries online who are spending today sort of mourning as if they've lost their firstborn, and while i don't think it's that serious, it's going to take some real thought on how we are going to pivot and if some people will be able to. obviously there is an importance in tiktok to the economy. there's a huge ad spend on tiktok. are you able to estimate, would it cost you money if it went dark for 2a or 48 hours? 0h, as night follows day, of course. i mean, those 10.2 million people, they are friends of mine and they are wonderful people. but as far as the business is concerned, those are eyes on advertisements. so, what is there to be lost? well, yes, significant money. now, those who have been on tiktok, and we've had fun, and we've done our things for quite some time, we have of course diversified and we've got other ventures.

you mention my two books. i do feel for the folks who haven't spent time in this limelight, to diversify, and thus they will be losing, quite frankly, everything. do you have any sympathy, though, with the concern that lawmakers have expressed that this is a chinese company that harvests data of american users, and it is using this service to undermine national security? well, that'sjust the thing, right? i'm a 20—something who yells at my camera in a kitchen. what on earth do i know of these things? you've had a lot of folks my age, younger than me, saying that they have the correct answer, they know what's right, they know what's wrong. these are folks almost thrice my age, and they've been doing what they've been doing and they've been fed all this information, and they're in high elected office. and i don't think i can do anything but trust that they are making a more informed decision than me. now, can i still complain about it? you bet your bottom dollar, and i will. however, you know, i think the opposite, assuming that i would know what to do in this situation.

if you sat me down there in the white house, i wouldn't have a clue. how revolutionary do you feel about this? because there are some who call themselves tiktok refugees, who are signing up to a mandarin service called rednote and, at the same time, accepting all the rules that are put down by the communist party in china. would that be an avenue that you would go down to protect your business? no, i would not — i would not go to that degree, and i think my friends who are doing so, i say you need to rethink your priorities and you need to rethink what you hold dear in this life. because, no, it's not that serious. there's the other social media companies, and i don't feel like a revolutionary, because we're not refugees. you're in the reporting business. you know, quite frankly, what real tragedy and real downfall looks like, and this is quite a... you know, we are so pampered

to think that this is such a tragedy that it is. it is upsetting, but it kind of stops there. dyla n was dylan was speaking to me in the last hour. after a 90 day extension would help. after a 90 day extension would hel. . after a 90 day extension would hel _ ., ., , after a 90 day extension would hel. . ., , ., ., after a 90 day extension would hel. . ., , . ., ., . help. the law does allow for a 90 day extension _ help. the law does allow for a 90 day extension from - help. the law does allow for a 90 day extension from the - 90 day extension from the president, but it puts three conditions on the president's power to ring —— grant that extension. one of those is that there is progress being made in negotiations for a sale of bytedance, but the most important is that there are actually binding agreements in place for a divestiture to happen. and i'm not sure president trump's going to be able to show that there are binding agreements in place. so he may say that "i'm putting

a 90—day delay in place," but i don't think it's going to be consistent with the law, and that's going to create some concern for the companies that will be violating the law if it's not an effective order. this afternoon this company i had never heard of called perplexity ai — it's a search engine — they said they had put in a bid to merge with bytedance. it is an american—based company, perplexity ai, so presumably it has service here in the united states. would that satisfy the regulators? yes, so under the law, that is what the lawmakers in the us envisioned, is that tiktok can continue to operate in the us if there is a divestiture to a company whose parent isn't located within china. and so, if bytedance were willing to do that and if china were willing to endorse it, yes, that's exactly the path that the congress envisioned. the problem is that bytedance has had 270 days to consider a sale

and nothing has happened. and it's not clear that any offer is going to be taken seriously, or instead whether the company is going to keep playing this game of chicken to pressure lawmakers and president trump to keep the lights on. that speed to our technology correspondent who has been trying to find out for us what is going on. what has happened in the last hour to take the 3pp in the last hour to take the app off—line? i in the last hour to take the app off-line?— in the last hour to take the app off-line? i have been on tiktokfor— app off-line? i have been on tiktok for much _ app off-line? i have been on tiktok for much of _ app off-line? i have been on tiktok for much of the - app off-line? i have been on tiktok for much of the loss | app off-line? i have been on | tiktok for much of the loss of ours and just tiktok for much of the loss of ours andjust in tiktok for much of the loss of ours and just in the last two minutes really i have, as of the last few minutes i haven't been able to access the act. this is what i see on my phone right now. it is a notification that says, sorry, tiktok isn't available right now. what they've really done here is been proactive and pulled the plug such that users can no

longer see content on the up. i was watching a livestream just a few minutes ago, kind of holding almost like something that felt like a funeral for tiktok, talking about how sad they are to see it go away, you no longer see that either. but this notification is interesting. in a couple of respects. first of all it is signalling that president trump, they called him president trump even though he is not in the white house just yet, he will be on monday, so for now he is the president—elect, that he has indicated he will work with to doctors what this message says is a solution, on a solution. so we are standing by, tiktok saying in this notification, please stay tuned. some of the same lung which definitely would we have heard from donald trump. would we have heard from donald trum. �* ., ., would we have heard from donald trum -. �* ., . ., trump. before we heard it had one trump. before we heard it had gone off-line. _ trump. before we heard it had gone off-line, we _ trump. before we heard it had gone off-line, we had - trump. before we heard it had gone off-line, we had a - trump. before we heard it had i gone off-line, we had a message gone off—line, we had a message from oracle, the main cloud computing providerfor from oracle, the main cloud computing provider for tiktok who said they instructed their staff to prepare to shut down the servers that hosted tiktok

data. is it a case, as the company warned, the white house they call it a stunt, but is it as a company warned those cloud computing companies that carry the information that have said, look, we are going to be, could be legally responsible for carrying tiktok so we are just not going to do it? carrying tiktok so we are 'ust not going to do mi not going to do it? yes, it is absolutely — not going to do it? yes, it is absolutely true _ not going to do it? yes, it is absolutely true that - not going to do it? yes, it is absolutely true that web - absolutely true that web hosting —— hosting, to me that 0racle face legal risk and potentially very steep fines if they continue to work with tiktok as long as this law is in effect. it may only be in effect for 2h hours, we don't know, and we don't also know to the job gas know, and we don't also know to thejob gas or smoking earlier, what exactly trump is empowered to do —— your guests was making earlier. he wants to try and swoop in and do something here. he has talked about a 90 day reprieve but whether that is

actually legally doable, the legality of that is still not entirely clear, and the stunt language you mention from the biden white house has also been interesting because tiktok effectively send out day directive saying they need to see something definitive from this white house that these companies like 0racle, but also apple and google, the companies that run the app store is will download the app, they will not be facing any kind of legal risk. even though the biden white house on friday made pretty clear they were not planning to enforce this law when it takes effect on sunday, that they were going to hunt this to president—elect donald trump once he takes office on monday. figs trump once he takes office on monda . �* , , ., trump once he takes office on monda., , monday. as you suggest, he can't really _ monday. as you suggest, he can't really pass _ monday. as you suggest, he can't really pass an - monday. as you suggest, he | can't really pass an executive order that bypasses legislation that has been approved by congress, and it is interesting, i wasjust congress, and it is interesting, i was just looking back at the feelings within his own party. the chair of the

intelligence committee, just on thursday, he said let me be crystal clear, there will be no extensions, no concessions, no compromises for tiktok. extensions, no concessions, no compromises fortiktok. 0ne extensions, no concessions, no compromises for tiktok. one of the biggest obstacles for donald trump, however much he wants to talk to survive, it could be his own party. absolutely, and it has been fascinating actually spending time on tiktok these last few days because the volume of content about the band, about this law, it has been voluminous to say the least —— about this ban. everything i see on to doc has everything to do with this law coming into force. 0ne do with this law coming into force. one of the videos i saw today was some senators talking about it, both of them asked what do you think of the ceo of tiktok showing up to the

inauguration on monday as a special guest of donald trump? 0ne asked was a republican from missouri who said he doesn't love that the ceo of tiktok will be there. and the democrat from virginia also talking about how he doesn't get it, that this law was passed with pretty overwhelmingly by support in a body in congress it agree on a whole lot else, brought about 80% agreement when they passed this law back in april. i think there is quite a bit of frustration that they did this the right way, they did this the right way, they actually got together and passed legislation, and i do think there is some frustration about the approach being taken ljy about the approach being taken by president donald trump, president—elect donald trump i should say. we president-elect donald trump i should say-— should say. we know what is happening — should say. we know what is happening here. _ should say. we know what is happening here. donald - should say. we know what is i happening here. donald trump has had an epiphany because through the election campaign season he was able to speak to a new audience through tiktok. in fact, today, and interviews

with nbc, he talked about how his son had helped him find these new users and now he sees great value in it, so he has reversed 180 on it not to mention the people who served in his first administration are now part of the tiktok arena, a part of the investment company thatis part of the investment company that is in hock to tiktok. that is riaht, that is in hock to tiktok. that is right. and _ that is in hock to tiktok. that is right, and i— that is in hock to tiktok. that is right, and i believe - that is in hock to tiktok. that is right, and i believe you - that is in hock to tiktok. t�*isgt is right, and i believe you are referring to his normal treasury secretary, steve mnuchin, one of the many americans who have come forward to say they would be interested in buying doc as part of our investment group, others include frank mccourt, a real estate investor who is a former owner of the los angeles dodgers baseball team, another is elon musk, who owns x, formerly twitter, and there is some talk about whether he might be the next owner of tiktok. we will see. clearly, aood to tiktok. we will see. clearly, good to talk _ tiktok. we will see. clearly, good to talk to _ tiktok. we will see. clearly, good to talk to you. - tiktok. we will see. clearly, good to talk to you. thank i tiktok. we will see. clearly, l good to talk to you. thank you for that instant reaction. if

you are just for that instant reaction. if you arejustjoining us, we can tell you in the last few minutes, because billy was saying she was on tiktok until it went dark at the top of the last hour, and it appears that millions of users in the united states were longer have access to it. we will wait for donald trump positive reaction to that. donald trump has arrived in washington ahead of his inauguration on monday. he is hosting tonight a fundraiser in virginia, where there was a firework display for the 500 guests. donald trump and his wife melania watched together on a balcony. it is the first of a number of events that will unfold over the next two days. tomorrow he is going to the arlington cemetery to lay a wreath and then he will be attending a rally here in washington at the capital one arena. of course, a lot of work is going on at the

moment to move the inauguration inside because of the cold weather, which is due in washington. temperatures are expected to plummet in the next 24 expected to plummet in the next 2a hours, and that frantic work to move the inauguration indoors into the capital rotunda continues. but not everyone is here in support. there were thousands there were thousands of anti—trump demonstrators of anti—trump demonstrators marching through washington marching through washington today, protesting against today, protesting against the policies of the the policies of the incoming administration. incoming administration. the organisers had the organisers had expected 50,000 people. expected 50,000 people. the turnout the turnout was closer to 5,000. was closer to 5,000. much smaller than it was in much smaller than it was in 2017 when he first came to 2017 when he first came to power. they do not belong here? power. but according to those but according to those who attended, it is now a much who attended, it is now a much more diverse group. more diverse group. it's a nice reminder that it's a nice reminder that even though we didn't even though we didn't have the numbers in november, have the numbers in november, that we're not alone and it's — that we're not alone and it's — we shouldn't give up and just we shouldn't give up and just kind of roll on our backs. kind of roll on our backs. and, you know, in two years and, you know, in two years we can make some more change. we can make some more change. i think that we should come out i think that we should come out here and voice our concerns. here and voice our concerns. like, why do you want like, why do you want people to go back home — people to go back home —

because you think because you think they do not belong here? america was built upon immigrants. am i wrong? no, but it'sjust, like, we should have a say in that. cos you can't just deport people just because you feel like they don't belong here.

which were supposed to be handed over at 4pm local time. still many complications. in phase one of the agreement, over a period of six weeks, 33 hostages will be freed. in return, according to egypt, about 1,900 palestinian prisoners will be released. they are ready to surge the humanitarian aid into gaza, but that of course contingent on the ceasefire. the following two phases would include more hostage and prisoner releases, and the long—term reconstruction of gaza, but there is an awful lot to be decided before then. lucy williamson has the latest from jerusalem. the faces of israel's hostages never aged in hostage square as the days of their captivity were counted. now, for some, the countdown to freedom has begun.

three hostages are due to be freed tomorrow in exchange for 95 palestinians in israeli jails, anyjoy masked by anxiety for many families here, unsure whether their relatives have survived. kfir bibas should have celebrated his second birthday with family today. he has now spent most of his life as a hostage. it feels like the moment of truth is arriving. so it's hard, and it's confusing, and it's very easy and tempting tojust be, like, "yes, it's over, we are finally here." but i don't let myself think this way and feel this way because of all the disappointments before. it has been a long wait for people on both sides of this war. for over a year, the leaders of israel and hamas have been determined

to show strength, but their refusal to agree a ceasefire left their people paying the price. 0n the eve of the ceasefire tonight, as israel prepared to receive the hostages, their prime minister said the door was open to resume the war. translation: both president trump and president biden - gave full support to israel's right to return to fighting if israel concludes the negotiation on the second phase is hopeless. if we have to go back to fighting, we'll do this in new ways and with great force. in gaza, the countdown to peace was marked by another day of war. civil defence teams say more than 120 people have been killed since the ceasefire was announced on wednesday. waiting aid and the return of displaced people to their homes — 1545 00:20:58,769 --> 00: