White House says TikTok threat to go dark is a 'stunt'

The White House has said a threat by TikTok to shut down in the US on Sunday unless tech firms get assurances they will not be punished for violating a law that bans the app is a "stunt".

Late on Friday, the social media platform said it needed a commitment from the outgoing Biden administration that companies such as Apple and Google will not face prosecution for ignoring the looming ban.

"It is a stunt, and we see no reason for TikTok or other companies to take actions in the next few days before the Trump administration takes office on Monday," said White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre.

Instead the Biden administration has said it will be up to President-elect Donald Trump, who takes office on Monday, to decide how and if it wants to implement the law.

TikTok said it would be forced to "go dark" in the US on Sunday because the White House and the Department of Justice had "failed to provide the necessary clarity and assurance to the service providers that are integral to maintaining TikTok's availability".

It follows a Supreme Court ruling on Friday morning that upheld a law banning the app in the US unless its China-based parent company, ByteDance, sells the platform by Sunday.

ByteDance has repeatedly said it will not seek a buyer for the platform.

Under the law, the US version of the app would be removed from app stores and web-hosting services in the coming days.