TikTok says it’s restoring service in the US

It hasn't even been a full day since ByteDance shut down TikTok in the US, and now it says the app is coming back. In a statement posted on X Sunday afternoon, TikTok wrote, “In agreement with our service providers, TikTok is in the process of restoring service.” 

The statement also thanked Trump, who will be sworn in on Monday and who previously said he was considering giving TikTok an extension amid reports of potential bidders (though ByteDance has expressed no interest in selling). “We will work with President Trump on a long-term solution that keeps TikTok in the United States,” TikTok said.

At the time of this writing, the TikTok app is once again up and running for me despite previously showing a message saying I “can't use TikTok for now.” Phew, what an agonizing — checks watch — 12 hours that was without it. TikTok doesn't yet seem to be back in the App Store or Google Play Store, though, so if you deleted the app from your phone, you'll probably have to wait a little longer to get it back. CapCut, one of the other ByteDance-owned apps affected by the ban, also isn't available. 

STATEMENT FROM TIKTOK:

In agreement with our service providers, TikTok is in the process of restoring service. 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…

— TikTok Policy (@TikTokPolicy) January 19, 2025

While the law banning TikTok was set to go into effect today, January 19, the outgoing administration has expressed that it would not be enforcing it in Biden’s final hours as president. MSNBC reported on Saturday that White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre called TikTok’s threat to go dark “a stunt,” saying “we see no reason for TikTok or other companies to take actions in the next few days before the Trump Administration takes office on Monday.” But TikTok maintained that it couldn’t stay online without assurance that service providers would not be punished.

Trump chimed in on Sunday morning, writing on Truth Social, “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.”

A screenshot of a post from Donald Trump on Truth Social in which he writes that he is

He also outlined a vague plan for how he envisions TikTok’s future in the US. “I would like the United States to have a 50% ownership position in a joint venture. By doing this, we save TikTok, keep it in good hands and allow it to say [sic] up. Without U.S. approval, there is no Tik Tok.”

I sure hope you aren’t already exhausted by the back and forth ridiculousness of this situation because, my friends, it’s not over.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/social-media/tiktok-says-its-restoring-service-in-the-us-175440013.html?src=rss https://www.engadget.com/social-media/tiktok-says-its-restoring-service-in-the-us-175440013.html?src=rss
Vytvořeno 1mo | 19. 1. 2025 20:10:08


Chcete-li přidat komentář, přihlaste se

Ostatní příspěvky v této skupině

Atari’s side-scrolling Breakout reboot arrives on March 25

Proving that truly no IP is safe from modern reboot

25. 2. 2025 17:40:10 | Engadget
Paramount+ adds 50 classic MTV Unplugged episodes

If you're a music fan of a certain age, there's a good chance MTV Unplugged has special place in your heart. With the first episode airing in 1989, over the decades the series has produced some of

25. 2. 2025 17:40:09 | Engadget
UK creatives protest AI copyright law changes with silent album and campaign

British creatives are speaking out against the government's proposed changes to copyright law. Take Kate Bush, Annie Lennox and Ben Howard, who join over 1,000 musicians in releasing a protest albu

25. 2. 2025 17:40:08 | Engadget
Philips Hue Sync now available on LG smart TVs, eliminating the need for a control box

The Philips Hue Sync app is now available for many LG televisions, allowing synchronization between smart lights and TV screens. This eliminates the need for one of those

25. 2. 2025 17:40:07 | Engadget
Clicks is finally releasing its keyboard add-on for some Android phones

First announced at CES 2024, the Clicks physical keyboard add-on for iPhones

25. 2. 2025 17:40:06 | Engadget
OnePlus is delaying the Watch 3 launch because of a typo

One thing writers and multinational consumer electronics corporations have in common is we both need a good editor. Or, failing that, at least a good spell-checker. OnePlus somehow missed that step

25. 2. 2025 17:40:05 | Engadget