It was the moment that many had feared for months but most expected would never really happen. Yesterday, the internet broke with the news that the social media platform TikTok had been shut down in the United States.
The ban, aimed at addressing national security concerns related to TikTok’s China-based parent company ByteDance, saw the app disappear from app stores and become inaccessible to its 170 million American users.
Influencers took to Instagram, X, Threads and even Facebook, sharing their dismay with their hundreds of thousands of followers, but the chaos wasn’t to last long, with the app being reinstated by President-elect Donald Trump just a few hours after it first went down. The incident, which unfolded over the course of just 24 hours, saw millions of American users locked out of the app, as tech giants Apple and Google complied with a federal ban.
The Shutdown and Immediate Fallout
At 12:00 a.m. EST on January 19, a nationwide ban on TikTok took effect, forcing internet service providers and app stores to block access to the platform. Users attempting to open the app were met with a message stating: “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”.
The notification also claimed that “President Trump” has “indicated that he will work with us on a solution to reinstate TikTok once he takes office”.
The move followed a Supreme Court ruling that upheld the legislation passed by Congress in April last year, which required TikTok’s Chinese parent company, ByteDance, to divest from the app or face a ban over national security concerns.
Earlier reports indicated that ByteDance had not secured a U.S. buyer, leading to the shutdown and prompting immediate backlash from users and business leaders alike. TikTok itself had warned that it would be “forced to go dark” unless the Biden administration, which had previously expressed support for the app’s continued presence in the U.S. under American ownership, intervened.
In a surprising development, Trump took to his social media platform Truth Social at 7:03 a.m. EST, posting: “SAVE TIKTOK.” Shortly after, he announced plans to issue an executive order delaying the ban to allow more time for negotiations.
“I’m asking companies not to let TikTok stay dark! I will issue an executive order on Monday to extend the period of time before the law’s prohibitions take effect, so that we can make a deal to protect our national security. The order will also confirm that there will be no liability for any company that helped keep TikTok from going dark before my order,” he said in the post.
“Americans deserve to see our exciting Inauguration on Monday, as well as other events and conversations”.
The Reinstatement and Political Maneuvering
By 12:30 p.m. EST on January 19, TikTok announced it was “in the process of restoring service,” crediting Trump for providing “clarity and assurance” that service providers like Apple and Google would not face penalties.
“We thank President Trump for providing the necessary clarity and assurance to our service providers that they will face no penalties providing TikTok to over 170 million Americans and allowing over 7 million small businesses to thrive,” TikTok said in a statement. “It’s a strong stand for the First Amendment and against arbitrary censorship. We will work with President Trump on a long-term solution that keeps TikTok in the United States.”
Users began reporting the app was functioning again by 1:00 p.m. EST, and by 1:50 p.m., TikTok sent a welcome-back notification that read: “As a result of President Trump’s efforts, TikTok is back in the U.S.” However, it was still unavailable for download on Apple’s App Store.
What’s Next for TikTok?
While Trump’s intervention has temporarily saved TikTok in the U.S., the app’s long-term fate remains uncertain. The current legislation leaves little room for executive action to permanently overturn the ban without a change in ownership. Trump’s proposal for a U.S. joint venture with ByteDance—where America would hold a 50% ownership stake—has been floated as a possible solution, but no official deal has been reached.
Last week, speculation circled that X owner, Elon Musk, might be considering purchasing the business’s U.S operations. TikTok quickly shut this matter down, labelling it as “pure fiction.”
While Trump tried to ban the app during his first term in office, its popularity, particularly among younger users, has made it a key campaign tool for Trump, who has notably softened his stance. “I have a warm spot in my heart for TikTok,” he stated at his first post-election press conference.
However, critics argue that the administration’s actions undermine legislative authority and national security concerns over data privacy. As Trump prepares to take office once more, it remains to be seen whether his administration can broker a deal that satisfies both national security hawks and the millions of TikTok users who rely on the app daily.
For now, TikTok is once again accessible in the U.S., but the looming threat of a renewed ban continues to cast uncertainty over the platform’s future.
