TikTok ceased operations in the USA on January 19, becoming the first major social network to be blocked in the country. The app was removed from the App Store and Google Play, and users lost access to previously downloaded versions. The platform was also unavailable when using VPNs to bypass restrictions and alter geolocation.
However, just a few hours later, TikTok resumed operations. When users attempted to log in, they saw a message: “Thanks to President Trump’s efforts, TikTok is back in the USA!”
In April 2024, the then-current U.S. President Joe Biden signed a law requiring the Chinese company ByteDance to sell TikTok to an American buyer or cease its operations.
The company was given nine months to comply with the requirements—until January 19, 2025. The law was justified by the risk of American user data being transferred to Chinese authorities.
President Donald Trump, who was set to take office on January 20, stated that he would suspend the law with an executive order to give ByteDance time to find a buyer.
“I will sign an order that extends the deadline until the law is fully enacted,” Trump declared on Truth Social. “This way, we will save TikTok, keep it in trustworthy hands, and allow it to continue operating.”
“I would like the United States to receive a 50% stake in the joint venture… Without U.S. approval, TikTok does not exist. With our approval, it’s worth hundreds of billions of dollars—possibly trillions,” Trump added.
Just a few days before the ban, there were reports of a potential sale of the platform to Elon Musk. Blogger MrBeast also expressed interest in purchasing it.
The author of the law stated that an extension is only possible with documents confirming the sale: “As the author of the law, I can confirm that the deadline has expired. An extension is only permissible with a legally justified agreement.”
Earlier, Spot reported that Meta had abandoned its fact-checking program and was changing its content moderation policy.