TikTok announced on Sunday (19) that it is back online in the United States. This happened after President-elect Donald Trump promised to delay banning the app in the country once he returns to office on Monday (20).
“As a result of President Trump’s efforts, TikTok is back in the U.S.,” the platform announced in a notification sent to users.”
TikTok went offline in the U.S. on Sunday due to a federal law requiring the platform to sell its operations in the country. However, Trump announced he would issue an order delaying the enforcement of this law.
The social network also thanked Trump for “providing the clarity and assurance needed for our service providers to avoid penalties [for] making TikTok available to over 170 million Americans and helping more than 7 million small businesses thrive”.
According to Reuters, some U.S. users reported being able to access both the TikTok app and website after the announcement.
Trump Wants 50% of TikTok Belonging to the United States
Earlier, the president-elect stated he would take steps to reactivate the platform.
Why does the U.S. want to ban TikTok?
The U.S. government claims that TikTok collects sensitive data from Americans, posing a national security risk. This concern led to legislation banning the app in the country if it isn’t sold to a U.S.-based company.
The U.S. fears China could use the data from TikTok’s 170 million American users for espionage. However, ByteDance, which owns TikTok, has consistently denied these allegations.
What does the law passed in 2024 say?
The law, approved by Congress and signed by Joe Biden in April 2024, gave the social media app until Sunday (19) to find a buyer for its U.S. operations. When the deadline wasn’t met, the law required the app to be banned in the U.S. It includes its removal from app stores and blocking updates.
Additionally, U.S.-based hosting services were prohibited from working with TikTok. Companies violating the law could face fines of up to $5,000 per user accessing the app. TikTok currently has 170 million users in the U.S.
