A humorous tattoo commemorating the supposed demise of TikTok has gone viral after the app’s ban in the United States was reversed shortly after the ink was completed.
In January, TikTok briefly went offline after its parent company, ByteDance, failed to meet a deadline to sell its U.S. operations. The app was temporarily removed from the Apple App Store and Google Play Store and became inaccessible to U.S. users during the controversy.
During this period of uncertainty, Arizona tattoo artist Travis Meisenzahl, also known as Jucebox, decided to memorialize the event in a unique way. He tattooed his wife with a design featuring a gravestone marked with the TikTok logo and the dates “2016-2025.”
Tattoo Timing Sparks Laughter and Viral Attention
Moments after completing the tattoo, news broke that TikTok’s ban had been delayed. In a video posted on Instagram, Jucebox shared his disbelief, showing the fresh tattoo alongside a notification from the app welcoming users back.
The reversal followed an executive order by then-President Donald Trump, who delayed the enforcement of the TikTok ban by 75 days shortly after his inauguration.
“Are you joking me right now?” Jucebox captioned the video, which captured the couple laughing at the unexpected turn of events. “Being in the tattoo industry, we like to do silly things,” he later told the New York Post.
TikTok’s Future Remains Uncertain
While the tattoo’s timing seemed premature, the future of TikTok remains unclear. If ByteDance fails to comply with U.S. regulations, the ban could still be enforced, giving the tattoo unexpected relevance.
Notably, several high-profile individuals have expressed interest in purchasing TikTok. Billionaire entrepreneur Kevin O’Leary, known for his role on Shark Tank, and YouTube star MrBeast have both hinted at their willingness to acquire the app. However, no decisions have been finalized.
For now, the tattoo stands as a lighthearted reminder of a viral moment in TikTok’s ongoing saga.
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