Since its launch in 2016, TikTok, a video-sharing social media app, has gained immense popularity among users of all ages. Users can share a diverse range of videos on TikTok, including lip-syncing, dancing, video edits, cosplay, and product promotions through the app’s TikTok Shop. Despite its popularity, however, the U.S. government has expressed concerns about how the app may compromise national security.
ByteDance, a Chinese company, owns TikTok. Because the app is not based in the U.S., Congress has been worried that the Chinese government could track, manipulate, or access private user data. The government presented ByteDance with an ultimatum: sell the app to another buyer within 270 days or face a nationwide ban in the United States.
Ultimately, ByteDance could not find a buyer, resulting in TikTok’s ban on phones throughout the U.S. on January 19th. The suddenness of the ban left users in a state of shock. When they tried to open the app, they encountered an interesting message:
“A law banning TikTok has been enacted in the U.S. Unfortunately, that means you can’t use TikTok right now. We are fortunate that President Trump has indicated that he will work with us on a solution to reinstate TikTok once he takes office. Please stay tuned!”
Lemon8, linked to TikTok, and the video editing app CapCut—both owned by ByteDance—were also banned alongside TikTok. Upon opening, both apps displayed similar messages. With these apps unavailable, many TikTok users turned to Rednote, another Chinese app similar to Pinterest that requires users to abide by rules set forth by the Chinese government.
Users' collective panic was brief. Twelve hours after the ban, on January 20th, President Trump announced a 90-day extension for TikTok to be bought, giving potential buyers more time to acquire the app. A new message on the recently restored app read:
“Welcome back! Thanks for your patience and support. As a result of President Trump’s efforts, TikTok is back in the U.S.! You can continue to create, share, and discover all the things you love on TikTok.”
Users who previously deleted the app cannot re-download it, and TikTok is currently unavailable for new users to download in the U.S. Only users who had the app before the ban can continue using it.
TikTok’s future is uncertain, and many users will wait until the beloved app's fate is confirmed.