After going dark for US users, TikTok is back online in the United States, crediting its return to President-elect Donald Trump.
A message appeared on the app welcoming users back to the platform, stating, “Thanks for your patience and support. As a result of President Trump’s efforts, TikTok is back in the U.S.!”
Yesterday, TikTok went offline for U.S. users as the law banning the platform was enacted. Users were greeted with a message that read, “A law banning TikTok has been enacted in the U.S. Unfortunately, that means you can’t use TikTok for now. We are fortunate that President Trump has indicated that he will work with us on a solution to reinstate TikTok once he takes office. Please stay tuned.”
The app was also removed from the Apple and Google Play stores, along with Lemon8 and CapCut, which are also owned by TikTok’s Chinese parent company, ByteDance. TikTok has over 170 million users in the U.S., making this temporary ban a significant disruption for many.
While this reprieve is certainly welcome news for TikTok users, the long-term fate of the app in the US remains unclear. The law that led to the ban required ByteDance to sell the US version of TikTok to an American company or face a permanent ban. The deadline was set for January 19.
The US Justice Department has maintained that Chinese control of TikTok poses a continuing threat to national security. In the Philippines, similar concerns led to discussions of a potential ban in 2023, resulting in the prohibition of military personnel from using the app. The recent developments in the US could reignite similar discussions in the country.
