TikTok Resumes Service in the US, Thanks Trump for Clarity on Ban Delay

TikTok announced on Sunday that it is “in the process of restoring service” in the United States after briefly going offline due to a law aimed at banning the app for national security reasons.

The shutdown began late on Saturday, coinciding with the enforcement of the law banning TikTok over concerns that its Chinese parent company, ByteDance, could misuse American data.

US officials had warned of a potential national security risk related to data handling.

Trump confirmed he would “extend the period of time” before the law’s provisions took effect to allow for negotiations on a solution to protect national security.

The executive order, according to Trump, would ensure that no company would face liability for preventing TikTok from going dark prior to his directive.

Earlier, Trump had suggested that he might grant TikTok a 90-day reprieve after taking office, which the company highlighted in a notification to users on the app.

The message informed users of the ban and reassured them that TikTok hoped to return under Trump’s leadership.

This marks a shift from Trump’s earlier stance. In 2020, he sought to ban TikTok, citing concerns over data security.

More recently, Trump acknowledged the app’s role in engaging younger voters, which he credits for his 2024 election success.

However, some Republican senators oppose Trump’s efforts to “save TikTok,” insisting that ByteDance must meet the law’s divestiture requirements.

Following the law’s passage and subsequent Supreme Court ruling, TikTok had until Sunday to sever ties with ByteDance or cease US operations.

The Chinese Embassy condemned the US move, calling it an unfair use of state power to suppress the platform.

In response, many TikTok users, primarily young people, began flocking to alternatives, such as the Chinese app RedNote.

Companies like Meta and Snap saw their stock prices rise in anticipation of TikTok’s potential loss of users and ad revenue.

As TikTok users faced uncertainty, searches for “VPN” surged. Some Instagram users also expressed concern about orders from TikTok Shop, its e-commerce platform.

In a bid to secure TikTok’s future, entities including former Los Angeles Dodgers owner Frank McCourt have shown interest in acquiring the platform.

Meanwhile, Chinese officials have reportedly discussed selling TikTok’s US operations to Elon Musk, a billionaire with close ties to Trump, though the company denies these claims.

Meanwhile, Perplexity AI, a US search engine startup, has submitted a bid to merge with TikTok US, aiming to create a new company.

ByteDance, the parent company, is largely owned by institutional investors like BlackRock and General Atlantic, with its founders and employees holding a smaller stake.