TikTok was back online Sunday, just hours after President-elect Donald Trump vowed to prevent the app from “going dark.”
The Chinese-owned social media platform confirmed its restoration in a statement posted on X, thanking Trump for securing the app’s return.
TikTok’s policy team expressed gratitude for Trump’s intervention, which assured service providers that they would not face penalties for continuing to offer TikTok to over 170 million Americans and helping 7 million small businesses thrive.
“It’s a strong stand for the First Amendment and against arbitrary censorship,” the statement said, emphasizing collaboration with Trump for a long-term solution to keep TikTok in the United States.
After the ban was lifted, users received a “Welcome back!” message thanking them for their patience and support and informing them that TikTok was returning thanks to Trump’s efforts.
Social media users, including many from New York, were excited to regain access to their accounts. Taylor Wilcox, a Brooklyn social media marketer, expressed surprise at the speed of the restoration but also speculated that Trump’s involvement in the app’s fate was orchestrated from the start.
Trump’s intervention came after he announced plans to issue an executive order Monday to keep TikTok from disappearing.
The order also included proposals for the US government to acquire 50% ownership in a joint venture to buy TikTok, though it remains unclear whether Trump meant that the US would partially own the platform.
Previously, TikTok’s parent company ByteDance had been given until January 19 to sell its US business or face a ban, following a passage passed by Congress in April and signed by President Biden.
Trump, however, offered to extend the deadline by 90 days, enabling TikTok to operate without the threat of immediate closure.
Despite the relief felt by TikTok users, the app’s return sparked concerns from some politicians and experts. Evan Swarztrauber, a senior fellow at the Foundation for American Innovation, warned that national security risks tied to TikTok’s Chinese ownership were still unresolved.
Tech experts also criticized the company for temporarily shutting down and quickly restoring its service, creating a “manufactured sense of panic.”
US Senator Tom Cotton voiced concerns about the potential liabilities for companies that continue to host or distribute TikTok, emphasizing the national security threat posed by its Chinese control.
While TikTok was available to millions of users, it remained unavailable for new customers to download in the App Store. During the brief ban, some users tried to access the app using a VPN but could not.
The decision to restore TikTok has stirred debate over the app’s national security implications and its future in the United States.
