The TikTok ban in the US disrupted access for millions of users and took effect this Saturday. In just several hours, however, TikTok restored its service. As one of the most popular platforms in recent years, many are now asking if TikTok is really back in the US for good.
If you're curious about the situation and want to understand the reasons behind the ban, let's break it down and find the answers below.
Is TikTok Really Back in the US For Good?
Following the platform’s nationwide shutdown in the US around 10:35 PM this Saturday, TikTok announced that President-elect Donald Trump had pledged to restore it.
Millions of users, including content creators and business owners, were affected by the ban. As required by law, the app was also unavailable for download on both Apple and Android platforms.
While the ban was in effect, TikTok stated that Trump was working on a long-term solution to keep the platform available in the United States.
Trump indicated that he would issue an executive order to extend the time before the ban became active while negotiations took place to address national security concerns.
After a 12-hour ban, the popular video-sharing platform became available in the US again through web browsers. Later, some users reported regaining access to TikTok on their mobile devices. The company credited Trump’s efforts to bring TikTok back.
“Frankly, we have no choice. We have to save it,” the US President-elect declared during a rally on Sunday, announcing that TikTok was back online. But some might be wondering — has it really returned?
For TikTok to stay for the long term, Donald Trump proposed that the US take a 50% ownership stake in a joint venture with ByteDance, the Chinese-based company.
However, the executive order faces challenges as some public officials are against this decision, including two members of Trump’s party, Peter Ricketts and Tom Cotton. They stated in a joint announcement that they wanted TikTok to “sever all ties with Communist China” before allowing it to continue operations.
There is still no definitive answer on whether the ban will be enforced in the future. ByteDance has been firm in its resistance to selling TikTok, but the company’s CEO is planning to attend Donald Trump’s inauguration, which may signal good news for US TikTok users.
Why did the US Ban TikTok?
For years, ByteDance has been under fire due to concerns that the data and security of US TikTok users were at risk because of the app.
There were worries about the possibility of data sharing with the Chinese government and the spread of propaganda through the platform.
During this time, most lawmakers and public officials, including Donald Trump, supported removing TikTok from the United States unless the company pulled out of the platform and sold it to a company not owned by Chinese interests.
In April 2024, former President Joe Biden passed a bill to have TikTok shut down and banned from the Apple and Google app stores on mobile devices if the company did not follow the law. As a result, ByteDance voluntarily shut down the video-sharing app to avoid penalties.
Aside from TikTok, other ByteDance apps, such as CapCut, Lemon8, and Marvel Snap, also became inaccessible in the US online starting late Saturday evening.