Just as abruptly as the platform went down, a TikTok ban deadline extension has revived the app in the U.S. once more. The TikTok ban has been in the news for the last few weeks, with continuous uncertainty about the future of the app sending users into a tizzy. As TikTokers bemoaned the potential loss of their favorite app, the decision-making at the government level left a lot to be desired in terms of charting out a concrete path for what users could expect on January 19.
Eventually, the TikTok shutdown did occur, but within 14 hours of the takedown, the incoming president took to TruthSocial to explain, “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.” Now, the app is back online temporarily in the United States, with talks on the sale of the app expected to resume.
Image: TikTok
The TikTok Ban Deadline Extension Does Not Guarantee a Permanent Return
If you haven’t been looped into the news cycle over the last few weeks, short-form video app TikTok was confronted by a law that banned its presence in the U.S. unless the parent company ByteDance was willing to divest itself of the business and hand it over to a non-Chinese buyer.
While the company tried to challenge the law as unconstitutional, the constitutional powers remained steadfast in their decision to prevent the app from accessing American user data and influencing the content citizens viewed on the platform. TikTok made a committed effort to have the ban postponed or canceled, but the Supreme Court ruled that the law enforcing the ban did not violate the First Amendment.
On Saturday night, hours before the ban was expected to take effect on Sunday, the app was taken down abruptly, with a message informing users that “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!”
Not only could users not access the existing app on their smartphones, but it was also no longer available on the Apple App Store or the Google Play Store.
Is TikTok Actually Back in the U.S.?
As users flocked to RedNote and Instagram to say their goodbyes and reminisce about the following they had built on the platform, many began to notice that the web access to the app had been unexpectedly reinstated. Late on Sunday, TikTok confirmed to users on Twitter/X that it was restoring U.S. service, thanking the President-elect for its clarity on the situation.
“In agreement with our service providers, TikTok is in the process of restoring service,” the company explained on X. “We thank President Trump for providing the necessary clarity and assurance to our service providers that they will face no penalties for providing TikTok to over 170 million Americans and allowing over 7 million small businesses to thrive.
“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,” TikTok concluded.
TikTok is back in the U.S., but its return hasn’t been made permanent just yet.
Now that the TikTok Ban Has Been Postponed, What’s Next?
The execution and enforcement of this law have been left to the Trump administration, which now appears more willing to save the beloved app from being extinguished in the region. While the incoming administration had initially advocated banning the app and its services years ago, it appears more willing to work with ByteDance to establish a new deal.
While the deadline extension of the TikTok ban sounds like good news, a permanent return of the app is still uncertain. TikTok will have to work with the incoming administration to negotiate a new deal for the app’s continued presence in the U.S. Over the last few months, ByteDance had appeared to be staunchly against the proposition of selling its business to a new owner, but for its to continue operating in the States, it will have around 270 days to revisit the idea once more.
There is talk of a “joint venture” where the U.S. takes ownership of 50% of the company to continue to guarantee national security, but it’s uncertain if this will be enough to meet the criteria of the law that enforced the TikTok blackout in the first place.
The law’s emphasis on a 20% cap for “foreign adversary” owners will make it different for the proposed deal to go through and would require the law itself to change to accommodate it. While the TikTok ban has been postponed, it has not been prevented in its entirety until ByteDance submits to the authorities in the U.S.
In the Light of the News of the TikTok Ban, Alternative Apps Continue to Grow
Popular TikTok alternatives like RedNote (Xiaohongshu), Instagram, Clapper, Fanbase, and Triller have been the ones to benefit the most from the news of the TikTok ban. RedNote has come out on top with little to no effort on its part to draw in users. Many of those who turned to the Chinese app did so in an attempt to spite the U.S. government for the overregulation of their media platforms, but with its growing popularity, RedNote could be the next platform to face a similar ban in the region.
Already-popular app Instagram has been making changes to its layout and format to attract users more actively. From what we can tell, existing users on Instagram have despised some of the changes introduced, such as the new grid layout, but they may cool down to them eventually.
Triller is another app that has tried to capitalize on the untethered TikTok user base with its SaveMyTikToks.com website. This link allows users to transfer their TikToks to the Triller platform.
Now that the TikTok ban has been postponed, the surge in new users on these alternate platforms may slow down once more, but not entirely. Users continue to remain apprehensive about the new potential partnership between ByteDance and the U.S. government, with many vowing to never return to the app.
In the next few months, you can expect to see more news on the TikTok ban and how the story evolves.