Tiktok Is Restored (Not all services yet)

On January 19, 2025, TikTok resumed its services in the United States after a brief shutdown, following assurances from President-elect Donald Trump. The platform had been inaccessible due to a law requiring its Chinese parent company, ByteDance, to divest its U.S. operations by January 19 or face a ban.

In response to the shutdown, President-elect Trump announced plans to issue an executive order extending the deadline for ByteDance to divest its U.S. operations, providing clarity and assurance to service providers that they would not face penalties for supporting TikTok. This move allowed TikTok to begin restoring its services to over 170 million American users and support more than 7 million small businesses that rely on the platform.

Despite the restoration of services, TikTok remains unavailable for new downloads on the Apple App Store and Google Play Store. The company is working closely with the incoming administration to develop a long-term solution that ensures its continued operation in the U.S.

The Verge

The situation remains dynamic, with ongoing discussions about TikTok's ownership and operations in the U.S. Potential buyers for TikTok's U.S. operations have been mentioned, including Elon Musk and Frank McCourt, though no definitive agreements have been reached.

WIRED

As TikTok navigates these challenges, users and creators are advised to stay informed about developments that may impact the platform's availability and functionality in the United States.