While many of us had heard rumors this might happen, there were still those moments—like getting into bed late Saturday night, wanting to aimlessly scroll—when habit led you to reach for TikTok, only to be met with a sinking feeling. Cue the slight panic attack and separation anxiety as millions of users faced life without the app.
TikTok is making a comeback after going dark for millions of American users. Following a dramatic nationwide ban, the app is now partially restored, thanks to President-elect Trump, who promised to delay the restrictions with an executive order set to take effect Monday.
In its official statement, TikTok credited Trump with providing “clarity and assurance” to service providers, ensuring the app remains accessible to its 170 million U.S. users and the over 7 million small businesses that rely on the platform.
“We stand for the First Amendment and will work with the administration on a long-term solution to keep TikTok in the U.S.,” the company said.
The platform first went offline Sunday morning after Congress passed legislation requiring TikTok’s parent company, ByteDance, to sell its U.S. stakes by January 19, 2025. With no deal in place, the Supreme Court upheld the ban, a move critics argue undermines free speech.
Partial access is now restored, though some users report limited functionality. Influencers and content creators remain in limbo, unable to upload new content.
Scott Sutton, CEO of Later Media, confirmed via X (formerly Twitter), “TikTok is back on desktop, but content and engagement history are still missing.”
What’s next for TikTok? While the app is on the path to full restoration, its future remains uncertain. For now, users can breathe a temporary sigh of relief.
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