Trump Gets TikTok Back Online

 

TikTok has resumed operations in the United States following a statement from President-elect Donald Trump to bring TikTok back online.

TikTok had ceased operations in the U.S. after the ban went into effect late Saturday night, impacting 170 million users.

"In agreement with our service providers, TikTok is in the process of restoring service. We thank President Trump for providing the necessary clarity and assurance to our service providers that they will face no penalties providing TikTok to over 170 million Americans and allowing over 7 million small businesses to thrive," TikTok U.S. posted on X.

"It’s a strong stand for the First Amendment and against arbitrary censorship. We will work with President Trump on a long-term solution that keeps TikTok in the United States."

President-elect Donald Trump, set to take office on January 20, announced on Sunday that he will temporarily lift the TikTok ban on Monday.

"I’m asking companies not to let TikTok stay dark! I will issue an executive order on Monday to extend the period of time before the law’s prohibitions take effect, so that we can make a deal to protect our national security. The order will also confirm that there will be no liability for any company that helped keep TikTok from going dark before my order," Trump posted on TruthSocial.com.

 

"Americans deserve to see our exciting Inauguration on Monday, as well as other events and conversations.

 

I would like the United States to have a 50% ownership position in a joint venture.  By doing this, we save TikTok, keep it in good hands and allow it to say up.  Without U.S. approval, there is no Tik Tok.  With our approval, it is worth hundreds of billions of dollars - maybe trillions. 

 

Therefore, my initial thought is a joint venture between the current owners and/or new owners whereby the U.S. gets a 50% ownership in a joint venture set up between the U.S. and whichever purchase we so choose."

Why did Tiktok get banned?

National Security Concerns

Data Collection and Privacy: There are significant worries about the amount of data TikTok collects from its users, including location data, keystrokes, and browsing history. Given TikTok's ownership by ByteDance, a communist Chinese company, U.S. officials fear that this data could potentially be accessed by the Chinese government under its national security laws, which require companies to cooperate with intelligence gathering. This has raised alarms about potential espionage or surveillance of U.S. citizens.

Influence Operations

There's also a fear that the Chinese government could use TikTok to influence public opinion in the U.S., particularly given its reach among young people. Concerns include the possibility of manipulating content feeds to promote or suppress specific narratives, which could serve as a tool for propaganda or misinformation.

Who Banned TikTok?

The U.S. Congress, with bipartisan support, passed a law in 2024 that was signed by President Joe Biden which would force ByteDance to divest its U.S. operations of TikTok or face a ban from American app stores. This law was upheld by the Supreme Court, leading to TikTok going offline in the U.S. due to ByteDance's failure to divest within the stipulated period.