TikTok has announced it is in the process of restoring service in the United States after being offline for 14 hours. The temporary shutdown followed the Supreme Court’s recent ruling to ban the app unless its Chinese parent company, ByteDance, divests ownership due to national security concerns.
In a statement posted to social media, TikTok confirmed the restoration efforts and thanked President Donald Trump for his intervention:
“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.
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.”
The company’s message emphasised its commitment to staying in the United States while addressing security concerns and ensuring the platform remains accessible to its vast user base.
TikTok was forced offline after the Supreme Court ruled in favour of banning the app unless ByteDance sold its US operations to an American entity. The court cited fears that ByteDance could share sensitive American user data with the Chinese government, though the company has repeatedly denied such claims.
The app’s temporary disappearance sparked confusion and frustration among its 170 million American users, who rely on TikTok for entertainment, content creation, and small business marketing.
President Trump, who will officially take office on Monday, was instrumental in resolving the impasse. A vocal supporter of TikTok, with over 14.8 million followers on the platform, Trump provided the “necessary clarity and assurance” to service providers like Apple and Google, ensuring they would not face penalties for hosting the app.
While he lacks the authority to overturn the Supreme Court ruling, Trump’s intervention has allowed TikTok to return for now. The president has stated he is committed to working with TikTok to find a long-term solution that addresses security concerns while maintaining the platform’s presence in the US.
The restoration of TikTok’s service is only a temporary solution. ByteDance must still resolve the ownership issue to comply with the Supreme Court ruling. Whether this will involve selling its US operations or establishing an alternative ownership structure remains unclear.
For now, TikTok users can breathe a sigh of relief, but the app’s long-term future in the United States is far from certain. The situation underscores the growing tensions between the US and China over technology and data privacy, with TikTok caught in the middle.
As ByteDance and the US government work toward a resolution, the app’s restoration serves as a reminder of its significance not only as a platform for entertainment but also as a lifeline for millions of small businesses and creators across the country.
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