Shortly after going dark on Saturday night, TikTok suddenly became available to US users on Sunday afternoon, crediting President Trump for his work. How did this happen? Keep reading to find out.
Let us slide into your dms 🥰
Get notified of top trending articles like this one every week! (we won't spam you)How did we get the Ban?
TikTok's Beijing-based parent company, Byte-Dance, was first cited for posing a national security threat in the November of 2019, prompting a 1 billion investigation, aimed at revealing how the company stored American data and political content. In August, 2020, former (and current) President Trump signed executive orders banning TikTok, but it was rejected by a federal judge due to its likely violation of the First Amendment.
“This data collection threatens to allow the Chinese Communist Party access to Americans’ personal and proprietary information… These risks are real."
- President Trump's Executive Order 13873 (August 2020)
TikTok was banned from all government devices in February 2023, following an order from President Biden. A month later, TikTok CEO, Shou Zi Chew asserted the safety of the app as he testified before Congress.
His efforts were futile, however. In April of 2024, President Biden signed legislation that gave ByteDance a year to sell TikTok to an American company or be banned in the United States.
Thousands of TikTok users protested the ban, stating the impact it would have on millions of American lives. However, lawmakers claim the possession of TikTok by China is too much of a risk, as the app could be used to spy on Americans and spread Chinese propaganda on political topics.
Image Credit: Feyissa from Unsplash
The ban was also upheld by a Supreme Court ruling on January 17, 2025.
Take the Quiz: What Kind of Political Personality Are You?
Ever wondered what role you’d play in the political world? Take this fun quiz to find out!
The Ban Goes into Effect
On Saturday, 1/18/2025, at around 10:30 pm EST, TikTok went dark for millions of American users, displaying a message that read:
“Sorry TikTok isn't available right now. 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 also vanished on the Apple and Google Play store, making any access to TikTok impossible in the United States.
Image Credit: Nik from Unsplash
The 170 million users mourned the loss of TikTok, who made the video app a part of their lives, from teenagers communicating with their friends to creators who made a living through posting content.
The White House said that further enforcement of the ban would be up to incoming President Trump, who stated that he would likely implement a 90-day extension to TikTok's deadline.
The Ban is Lifted
A little over 12 hours after shutting down, TikTok came back online for American users, greeting users with a message stating:
“Thanks for your patience and support. As a result of President Trump's efforts, TikTok is back in the U.S.!”
Image Credit: CottonBro Studio from Pexels
This move was due to President Trump's assertion that he would save the app with an executive order delaying the ban following his inauguration on Monday. Trump's promise was enough for TikTok to resume service for it's users.
“Americans deserve to see our exciting inauguration on Monday, as well as other events and conversations”
- President Trump
Trump also urged service providers to restore TikTok, assuring there would be no penalty for doing so. The president also stated that he would be seeking another American company to contribute to a 50-50 joint venture with ByteDance, ensuring that not all information is in the hands of the Chinese company.
President Trump scored a huge political win by taking responsibility for reinstating the popular app that is consumed by so much of the younger American generation.
What Next?
The executive order Trump plans to pass could face opposition from many lawmakers, including members of his party.
Republican Arkansas Senator Tom Cotton and Nebraska Senator Pete Ricketts remarked in Sunday's joint statement that TikTok should only become available by, “severing all ties between TikTok as Communist China. Only then will Americans be protected from the grave threat posed to their privacy and security by a communist-controlled TikTok.”
Image Credit: Kaboompics.com from Pexels
There are only two ways that President Trump can keep TikTok available.
- Another law is passed in Congress reversing the law signed in April by former President Biden that gave TikTok one year to sell the app to an American company. However, this is unlikely, as that law passed with large bipartisan support.
- Trump finds another American company to buy TikTok. However, TikTok seems reluctant to sell the app, considering how its unique algorithm has the ability to capture users - something that other companies have been struggling with. TikTok may be sold to Elon Musk, as reported by the Wall Street Journal and Bloomberg, yet it is unclear if Musk will be willing to buy the app. Musk, a fierce Trump supporter, also has the funds to buy the app and has openly criticized the ban, citing it as a violation of the First Amendment.
Image Credit: Feyissa from Unsplash
Conclusion
These next few months will be crucial to TikTok's future, and whatever decisions are taken will surely affect all youth, including you.
