After being unavailable for 14 hours, TikTok is back up and running in the U.S. The app went offline on Saturday night due to a new law that bans TikTok nationwide unless it splits from ByteDance, its parent company in China. The Supreme Court upheld this law last week, leaving TikTok’s future uncertain.
If you are interested in how to optimize platforms like TikTok or RedNote and to improve your management of social media accounts, or e-commerce operations, please feel free to contact us!
On Sunday morning, President-elect Donald Trump addressed the issue on his social media platform, Truth Social. He announced that he would pause enforcement of the ban and protect companies that support TikTok while his team figures out the app’s future. Over the years, TikTok has accumulated more than 7 million businesses and over 170 million users in the United States.
Trump had said he was considering a 90-day extension in the ban to give him time to work out a deal to sell the app to a non-Chinese owner. In his post, Trump said he would seek a 50-50 joint venture between TikTok’s existing parent company, China-based ByteDance, and a new, American owner.
Trump’s intervention is expected to be formalized soon. Once sworn in as president on Monday, Trump plans to sign an executive order suspending the law that bans TikTok in the U.S. The law, which was passed by Congress in 2024, came into effect this Sunday, making the platform inaccessible. The executive order would give the administration 90 days to find a buyer for TikTok, but so far, ByteDance, TikTok’s parent company, has refused to sell the platform.
Even though TikTok is back, its future in the U.S. remains unclear. Apple and Google have not allowed TikTok back into their app stores. This means new users can’t download the app, and existing users can’t get updates to fix problems or bugs. TikTok also can’t sell virtual coins or offer paid subscriptions, which hurts its ability to make money.
Different tech companies are handling the situation in their own ways. While Oracle and Akamai have resumed supporting TikTok, Apple and Google are staying cautious. The law says companies could be fined $5,000 per user for helping TikTok without a proper divestiture, which could add up to billions of dollars. None of these companies have publicly commented.
Some experts believe tech companies are waiting for more clarity. According to the law, the White House must confirm to Congress that TikTok is working on separating from ByteDance before the ban can be lifted. Without this confirmation, Trump’s promise might not hold up.
Lawmakers Raise Concerns
Some lawmakers doubt Trump’s authority to delay the ban. Senator Tom Cotton, head of the Senate Intelligence Committee, said on X that companies could face serious legal consequences if they support TikTok before it separates from ByteDance.
“Any company that helps TikTok while it’s still tied to ByteDance could face massive fines and lawsuits,” Cotton wrote.
What’s Next for TikTok?
For now, TikTok is back in the U.S., but the situation is far from resolved. Legal and political challenges continue to surround the app. Its long-term success will depend on finding a way to meet U.S. legal requirements. Although millions of users can use TikTok again, its future remains up in the air.
If you are interested in how to optimize platforms like TikTok or RedNote and to improve your management of social media accounts, or e-commerce operations, please feel free to contact us!
Rougelink, with offices in Paris, Shanghai, and Hangzhou, specializes in e-commerce and digital marketing services. As a strategic partner of TikTok, Douyin ( TikTok China ), and Xiaohongshu, we work with international brands to implement online strategies in Europe, US and China, offering comprehensive solutions across the entire e-commerce value chain.
Comments