Less than 12 hours after TikTok went dark in the United States, the video-sharing app is back online. “In agreement with service providers, TikTok is in the process of restoring service,” the company said in a statement. “We thank President Trump for providing the necessary clarity and assurance to service providers that they will not face penalties that provide TikTok to more than 170 million Americans and allow more than 7 million small businesses to thrive.” A law that would force TikTok’s parent company ByteDance to sell the app or see it banned in the United States is scheduled to take effect Sunday. The law also makes it illegal for US companies to support app distribution, maintenance, or updates. With President-elect Donald Trump about to take office, officials from the White House of President Joe Biden and the Department of Justice said they would give law enforcement to the Trump administration, but TikTok said that “providers of critical services” need a “definitive statement.” If not, the app it will be dark. And sure enough, the app stopped working Saturday night and disappeared from the Apple and Google Play app stores. However, last Sunday, President-elect Donald Trump announced that he would issue an executive order that would delay the ban, and he suggested that he would like to see TikTok reinstated because “the American people deserve to see a happy Inauguration. Monday.” To that end, he said his message would “confirm that there is no responsibility for the company that helps keep TikTok from going dark before my order.” This seems to be enough assurance for TikTok and the service provider statement. As of 1:05pm Eastern, it still doesn’t appear to be on the Apple and Google Play stores. In response to TikTok’s announcement, Republican Senator Tom Cotton tweeted that “any company is house, distribute, service, or otherwise facilitate the communist-controlled TikTok could face liability for hundreds of billions of dollars in damages.” and/or new owners in which the US acquires 50% ownership. In its statement, TikTok said it “will work with President Trump on long-term solutions that keep TikTok in the United States.”
TikTok is restoring service in the US
