The Chinese-owned company said it would cut off its services unless the U.S. assures Apple, Google and other companies that they would not be punished for hosting and distributing TikTok.

The news comes as a law banning TikTok, which is owned by Chinese firm ByteDance, is set to go into effect on Jan. 19.

A looming ban on TikTok set to take effect on Sunday presents a multibillion-dollar headache for app store operators Apple and Google.

Kesha is trying to make light of the looming U.S. TikTok ban by reminding fans that her hit song ‘Tik Tok’ is ‘forever’

White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre called TikTok’s threat to “go dark” tomorrow a “stunt,” and said there is no reason that TikTok or any other companies should take any actions under the ban before the Trump administration is sworn in Monday morning,

A TikTok ban Sunday would implicate tech giants like Google, Apple and Oracle, who risk enormous fines if they keep the app operational.

TikTok says it is officially going dark in the United States now that a federal ban of the app is going into effect. Around 6 PM Pacific time, the app began notifying people in the US, including Verge staffers,

TikTok takes on the U.S. government. Costfoto/NurPhoto via Getty Images Eric Smalley, The Conversation and Matt Williams, The Conversation The U.S.

U.S. President-elect Donald Trump said on Saturday he would "most likely" give TikTok a 90-day reprieve from a potential ban after he takes office on Monday, as the app with 170 million American users buzzed with nervous anticipation ahead of a shutdown set for Sunday.