After being taken down owing to a new security law, TikTok has been restored back to the Google and Apple app stores almost a month later. China’s ByteDance-owned company was able to temporarily function in the United States after President Trump’s executive order postponed the ban for 75 days. The business was promised that there would be no penalties for maintaining or distributing the Chinese app.
Due to national security concerns regarding user data, TikTok, a social media company owned by Chinese people, was banned in the United States. On January 18, the app went dark for a short time and vanished from app stores. After being taken down for almost a month, it has finally made a comeback to the Google and Apple app stores.
The TikTok ban has been postponed for 75 days by Trump’s executive order, allowing the ByteDance-owned firm to at least temporarily function in the United States and guaranteeing that digital marketplaces and mobile app stores that handle apps won’t be penalised for continuing to operate.
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TikTok has been threatened with a ban by Trump unless it separates from its Chinese owner, ByteDance. He made the suggestion that the US and ByteDance form a joint venture, but he did not elaborate. Trump thinks he has the authority to shut down or sell TikTok, and he might need Chinese consent for this. Penalties for breaking the law, if the app is used, could reach $5,000 per user. It is possible to have reciprocal tariffs.
Keep in mind that Trump first tried to outlaw TikTok in the US on grounds of national security. With the announcement of a 75-day law enforcement halt signed by Biden and approved by Congress, TikTok’s service was restored during Trump’s second term.
TikTok is a well-known platform with 170 million users in the US and 2 billion globally. YouTube personality MrBeast previously indicated interest in owning TikTok’s app, amid the social media giant’s impending US ban unless it is sold by its Chinese parent company, ByteDance, before January 19, 2025. He also revealed that several billionaires have offered to help with this deal.
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The Centre for Financial Research and Analysis valued TikTok US between $40 billion and $50 billion. A number of billionaires, including Elon Musk, Frank McCourt, Bobby Kotick, and YouTuber MrBeast, are interested in acquiring the company’s US operations.
