ByteDance kept its word to immediately shut down TikTok in the US if there wasn’t a way to stop the potential ban. The deadline set for the anti-TikTok law arrived, and the app stopped working for all US users. However, less than a day later, TikTok service has been restored, with the help of Donald Trump.
TikTok has already restored its service in the US less than a day after the ban
Today, the official TikTok Policy account on X/Twitter shared a statement saying the following: “In agreement with our service providers, TikTok is in the process of restoring service.” The upcoming President Trump seems to have been a major part of the platform’s change of mind regarding its operation in the country. “We will work with President Trump on a long-term solution that keeps TikTok in the United States,” the post added.
One big reason TikTok shut down the short video platform in the country was because it was afraid that its partners might be sanctioned. The list includes app stores, such as those of Google and Apple, and even cloud service providers, such as Oracle. Apparently, the firm had not received guarantees about what would happen with them after the deadline. The company thanked 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.”
The move seems to be a response to a post by Donald Trump this morning on Truth Social. “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,” reads the statement.
An American company will probably buy 50% of TikTok
Plus, we finally know more about the strategy that will allow TikTok to remain in the US. Trump’s post says that he “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 [sic] up. Without U.S. approval, there is no Tik Tok.” So, likely, an American company will get 50% of the US stake in TikTok. There are no details yet on which company will get the deal. There are a few candidates, such as Project Liberty or even Elon Musk’s X.
