TikTok returned to the US app shops of Apple and Google on Thursday as President Donald Trump delayed a ban on the Chinese language-owned social media app and guaranteed the tech giants they’d not be fined for distributing or sustaining it.
The favored brief video app utilized by practically half of all Individuals went darkish briefly final month, earlier than a regulation took impact on 19 January that requires its Chinese language proprietor ByteDance both to promote it on nationwide safety grounds or face a ban.
The next day, Trump signed an government order searching for to delay the enforcement of the ban by 75 days, permitting TikTok to proceed its operations within the US briefly.
Though TikTok resumed service after Trump’s assurances, Google and Apple saved the app faraway from their US app shops.
TikTok, the second-most downloaded app within the US final 12 months, mentioned on Thursday that its newest app was now accessible for obtain.
The delay might have been as a result of Google and Apple had been awaiting assurances that they’d not be prosecuted for internet hosting or distributing the app, in keeping with analysts.
Trump’s directive mentioned the businesses wouldn’t face penalties for maintaining the TikTok app up and operating.
TikTok had greater than 52m downloads in 2024, in keeping with market intelligence agency Sensor Tower. About 52% of its complete downloads had been from Apple’s App Retailer, whereas 48% had been from Google Play within the US final 12 months, Sensor Tower mentioned.
The regulation that requires ByteDance to promote TikTok’s US property or in the end face a ban was signed by then president Joe Biden in April final 12 months, triggered by nationwide safety considerations and fears that China might use the video-sharing app to spy on American customers.
The US has by no means banned a serious social media platform and the regulation that handed final 12 months offers the federal government sweeping authority to ban or search the sale of different Chinese language-owned apps.
Trump mentioned on Thursday that his 75-day deadline on TikTok may very well be prolonged.
The turmoil at TikTok attracted a number of potential consumers, together with former Los Angeles Dodgers proprietor Frank McCourt, who’ve expressed curiosity within the fast-growing enterprise that analysts estimate may very well be value as a lot as $50bn.
Trump has mentioned that he was in talks with a number of folks over TikTok’s buy and would probably have a call on the app’s future in February.
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