TikTok app. Credit: Pexels, Cottonbro studio
TikTok, the popular short-video hosting platform, is back online for millions of users in the United States after briefly being shut down over the weekend.
The app has been restored due to the efforts of President-elect Donald Trump, who vowed to prevent TikTok from being permanently banned.
TikTok’s ban
TikTok stopped working for all US users late Saturday, January 18 due to a law passed on national security grounds. However, by Sunday evening, TikTok announced its return, crediting Trump:
“We thank President Trump for providing the necessary clarity and assurance…allowing over 7 million small businesses to thrive,” TikTok said in a statement posted on X. The company added that it was working towards a long-term solution to address the US government’s concerns over user data security.
Trump supports TikTok
In a rally, Trump declared, “We have no choice. We have to save it,” adding that the US government might seek a joint ownership venture with ByteDance (the Chinese parent company of TikTok) to ensure compliance with the law. This marked a reversal from Trump’s earlier stance in 2020, when he pushed for a full ban of TikTok due to fears of data misuse by the Chinese government.
Critics remain sceptical. Senator Tom Cotton stated, “Unless and until TikTok is no longer controlled by Beijing, the national security threat that motivated the divestiture law hasn’t been addressed.” Tech experts also accused TikTok of creating “a manufactured sense of panic” by prematurely shutting down its services.
US TikTok users
During the brief outage, many users turned to VPNs to access the app, which proved ineffective. Meanwhile, businesses reliant on TikTok scrambled to create contingency plans. Marketing firms described the situation as a “hair-on-fire moment,” highlighting the platform’s significance for e-commerce and digital advertising.
The restoration of TikTok services highlights the app’s massive popularity, with over 170 million users in the US. However, questions remain about its long-term future in the country. ByteDance has been given time to negotiate a resolution, but pressure from lawmakers to sever ties with China is unlikely to subside.
As the app resumes normal operations, TikTok CEO Shou Zi Chew is set to attend Trump’s inauguration today (January 20), as reported by Reuters, signalling ongoing efforts to secure the platform’s place in the US market.
