TikTok Stays Afloat in the US as Trump Postpones Ban

TikTok, one of the most downloaded apps across the globe, was reinstated in the US following a 14-hour blackout. The app was taken down late on January 18 in compliance with a Supreme Court ruling requiring TikTok to separate from its Chinese parent, ByteDance or be banned in the country. As TikTok couldn’t find a buyer, they took the app down ahead of the ban.

However, on January 19, President Trump prolonged the deadline for TikTok to secure a US buyer and suspended the implementation of the ban, allowing the app to function again.

The blackout began when Google and Apple pulled TikTok from their app stores, and web-hosting companies stopped delivering back-end support to TikTok websites to adhere to the law. This left millions of existing users without access, and new downloads of the app were blocked. App stores and companies providing web support feared legal repercussions, as the law imposes severe penalties for violations.

Trump’s statement on Truth Social on Sunday morning changed the course of events. He promised to broaden liability protections for tech companies supporting TikTok and expressed his intent to sign an executive order extending the deadline for TikTok to find a US purchaser. This assurance prompted web-hosting firms like Oracle and Akamai to reactivate TikTok’s services, allowing millions of users to regain access to the app.

Although TikTok is now operational for existing users, it remains unavailable for download on the Apple App Store and Google Play Store. Without reinstatement in these app stores, TikTok cannot attract new users or receive critical software updates, and in-app purchases are suspended. This limitation poses significant challenges to the app’s functionality and revenue generation.

Trump’s proposal that the US government take a 50% ownership stake in TikTok, with another entity purchasing the remaining share, adds another layer of complexity to the app’s future. Legal and political uncertainties continue to cloud TikTok, leaving its long-term status in the US unresolved.

Due to these disruptions, the usage of services that bypass geo-restrictions has risen. This primarily includes VPN services that allow secure access to TikTok even in the event of a ban.