It’s been something of a rollercoaster weekend for influencers and folks dependent on their daily TikTok fix. On Saturday night, TikTok in the US went completely dark. Users who opened the app were greeted with a message stating that the app was unavailable due to a law banning its operation. Now, a little more than 12 hours later, it appears that TikTok is on the verge of coming back.
TikTok posted a message to X today noting that they’re working to restore service to users in the US.
TikTok’s statement reads:
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 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.
It remains to be seen what type of solution will be worked out. Interestingly, Trump over the weekend said he would 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.”
All told, it’s something of an anti-climactic, though perhaps temporary, end to a saga that has been raging for quite a few years.
Recall that the Supreme Court just last week rejected an appeal from ByteDance – TikTok’s parent company – to delay the ban. The Court’s decision stemmed from the fact that the app brings with it some national security concerns.
The ruling states in part:
TikTok offers a distinctive and expansive outlet for expression, means of engagement, and source of community… But Congress has determined that divestiture is necessary to address its well-supported national security concerns regarding TikTok’s data collection practices and relationship with a foreign adversary.
Calls to ban TikTok stretch back to 2020 when then-President Donald Trump called it a national security threat. In an executive order from August 6, 2020, Trump said the following:
Specifically, the spread in the United States of mobile applications developed and owned by companies in the People’s Republic of China (China) continues to threaten the national security, foreign policy, and economy of the United States. At this time, action must be taken to address the threat posed by one mobile application in particular, TikTok.
The end-game here remains murky, and with Trump calling the shots the situation is still a tad unpredictable.
For instance, Trump over the weekend said that he’d like to see a situation where the United States has a 50% ownership stake in TikTok as part of a joint venture with some other party. In doing so, Trump said he’d be able to “save TikTok, keep it in good hands and allow it to stay up.”
