In an absolutely shocking twist of fate (not really), just when Bay Area TikTok creators were preparing to make their next viral video, TikTok decided to ghost the entire U.S. That’s right—while you were perfecting your lip-syncing skills, a government ban swooped in faster than your Insta feed refreshes after an election cycle.

This past Saturday, creators received the alarming news that TikTok’s services in the U.S. were going dark. This follows a government decision to enforce a ban that had been hanging ominously over the app like a sword of Damocles since January 19. Nothing says progress like an app shutting down hours before its execution date!

Angela Galvez, a San Francisco TikTok creator with dreams of becoming the next Charli D’Amelio, summed up the bleak reality of the situation. “A lot of people are really sad that they don’t have this platform anymore,” she lamented, clutching her ring light like a lifeline to virality. Galvez cherished the app’s ability to let regular folks create content that reaches millions, proving that you don’t need a Netflix special to go viral.

Unfortunately, over the weekend, the app also disappeared from mainstream app stores, becoming as elusive as an original thought in a tech meeting. Thanks, Supreme Court, for upholding the ban due to “security concerns.” Just what we needed—yet another way to watch our freedoms tumble into the abyss.

Meanwhile, San Jose-based Helena K. couldn’t help but express her utter bewilderment. “It’s just annoying because I feel like there’s no problem,” she mused. “So many apps are out there; why pick on TikTok?” A fair question, but the answer rests somewhere between geopolitical maneuvering and good ol’ fashioned panic.

There was a gleam of hope on the horizon! President-elect Donald Trump rumbled about potentially granting a 90-day extension to TikTok. While this might delay the app’s demise, it does leave us wondering: is waiting for a TikTok revival the new version of hanging onto the edge of our seats during a film’s ticking clock finale?

In a message to users, TikTok mentioned that it was feeling optimistic about a solution to its woes, given the official’s willingness to negotiate. Here’s hoping we can slide those dances, memes, and recipes back into our lives soon—because watching paint dry never looked so entertaining.