TikTok is back in business in the US after several hours of going dark

TikTok is restoring its video platform in the United States. Over 170 million Americans will soon be able to watch and upload new videos.
This weekend, TikTok parent company ByteDance published a press release, stating that the Biden administration wasn’t able to provide the necessary clarity and assurance to the service providers that were integral to maintaining TikTok’s availability in the US.
“Unless the Biden Administration immediately provides a definitive statement to satisfy the most critical service providers assuring non-enforcement, unfortunately TikTok will be forced to go dark on January 19,” the company said in a statement.
As promised, ByteDance decided to take down its video platform in the United States last Sunday. Because of it, TikTok wasn’t available for American users.
Luckily for them, this ban only lasted a few hours. Several hours after going dark, ByteDance started to restore its services. When opening the app, users are welcomed by the following message:
“Welcome back! Thanks for your patience and support. As a result of president Trump’s efforts, TikTok is back in the US! You can continue to create, share and discover all the things you love on TikTok.”
In a statement in X, TikTok confirms it’s in the process of restoring its service. It says it will work with president Trump on a long-term solution that keeps TikTok available in the United States.
Today, Trump will be sworn in as the new president of the United States. He promised that he would postpone a law that obliges ByteDance to divest TikTok to an American vendor by 90 days by issuing an executive order on Monday.
While both the app and website are functioning for existing users in the US, American news outlets say TikTok is still unavailable in the Play Store and App Store. According to the law that was passed in April 2024, Apple and Google risk a $5,000 fine for every user who downloads the app through their stores after the ban goes into effect
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