Source: NurPhoto / Getty
UPDATE Jan. 19, 4:00 PM
Well, that was quick.
Less than a day after getting banned, the TikTok app has been reinstated in the United States. Upon fans reopening the app, they were greeted with the message: “Thanks for your patience and support. As a result of President Trump’s efforts, TikTok is back in the U.S.!”
In a separate statement, TikTok explained that it’s happy it can help all the millions of local businesses that use the platform to drive sales. It also hopes to work on a long-term solution with President-elect Trump to keep TikTok stateside.
Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Snapchat remain intact, but your favorite addictive doomscrolling video app, TikTok, has officially been banned in America.
However, a quick search of the app on the Apple App Store turns up nothing. And you’ve still got the app downloaded to your devices, tapping it shows a millisecond of the next video in your FYP, before a message takes over the screen to reveal the news.
“Sorry, TikTok isn’t available right now,” before hopefully offering a reinstatement once President Trump regains the presidency in a few short days.
Source: NurPhoto / Getty
“A law banning TikTok has been enacted in the US 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!” the message ends.
Users can then choose to either close the app or click learn more. The latter reveals that you can still download your data from the app in several formats, including information about your own TikToks, likes, history, comments, favorites, and watch history.
The issue began last spring when Congress passed a measure that gave TikTok, owned by Chinese company ByteDance, 270 days to find a new owner or get kicked out of America. TikTok argued for free speech, but the bill received overwhelming bipartisan support, fearing that China, an adversary of the states, would use access to users’ phones to spy and present national security issues.
Trump is confident he can get the app back for Americans, telling NBC News, “I think that would be, certainly, an option that we look at. The 90-day extension is something that will be most likely done, because it’s appropriate. You know, it’s appropriate. We have to look at it carefully. It’s a very big situation.”
Outgoing president Biden, however, called the banning a stunt because there was no reason for TikTok to make a move before Trump was sworn in, as he promised to relegate the decision to him.
The app has about 170 million users in the US, many of which depend on it for income or just entertainment. See how they’re reacting below.