It hasn’t even been a full day since ByteDance shut down TikTok within the US, and now it says the app is coming again. In a press release posted on X Sunday afternoon, TikTok wrote, “In settlement with our service suppliers, TikTok is within the strategy of restoring service.”
The assertion additionally thanked Trump, who might be sworn in on Monday and who beforehand stated he was contemplating giving TikTok an extension amid experiences of potential bidders (although ByteDance has expressed no real interest in promoting). “We are going to work with President Trump on a long-term resolution that retains TikTok in america,” TikTok stated.
On the time of this writing, the TikTok app is as soon as once more up and operating for me regardless of beforehand exhibiting a message saying I “cannot use TikTok for now.” Phew, what an agonizing — checks watch — 12 hours that was with out it. TikTok does not but appear to be again within the App Retailer or Google Play Retailer, although, so in case you deleted the app out of your telephone, you may in all probability have to attend just a little longer to get it again. CapCut, one of many different ByteDance-owned apps affected by the ban, additionally is not accessible.
Whereas the regulation banning TikTok was set to enter impact at present, January 19, the outgoing administration has expressed that it might not be imposing it in Biden’s remaining hours as president. MSNBC reported on Saturday that White Home Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre known as TikTok’s menace to go darkish “a stunt,” saying “we see no motive for TikTok or different firms to take actions within the subsequent few days earlier than the Trump Administration takes workplace on Monday.” However TikTok maintained that it couldn’t keep on-line with out assurance that service suppliers wouldn’t be punished.
Trump chimed in on Sunday morning, writing on Fact Social, “I’m asking firms to not let TikTok keep darkish! I’ll concern an govt order on Monday to increase the time frame earlier than the regulation’s prohibitions take impact, in order that we will make a deal to guard our nationwide safety. The order may also verify that there might be no legal responsibility for any firm that helped preserve TikTok from going darkish earlier than my order.”
He additionally outlined a imprecise plan for a way he envisions TikTok’s future within the US. “I would really like america to have a 50% possession place in a three way partnership. By doing this, we save TikTok, preserve it in good arms and permit it to say [sic] up. With out U.S. approval, there isn’t a Tik Tok.”
Based on NPR‘s Bobby Allyn, who spoke to an individual near the matter, Trump’s assertion was reassuring sufficient for TikTok’s net suppliers Oracle and Akamai to revive service. However Apple and Google “nonetheless haven’t agreed to let TikTok return,” Allyn experiences. Suppliers that do not adjust to the TikTok ban regulation have been threatened with penalties that would quantity to billions of {dollars}, so it is no shock we aren’t seeing TikTok again within the App Retailer or Google Play Retailer simply but. Apple has already stated of its determination to drag TikTok and different ByteDance apps that it “is obligated to comply with the legal guidelines within the jurisdictions the place it operates.”
I certain hope you aren’t already exhausted by the forwards and backwards ridiculousness of this example as a result of, my pals, it’s not over.
Replace, January 19 2025, 5:20PM ET: This story has been up to date so as to add extra info from NPR on the suppliers which have restored service to TikTok.
