TikTok thanked incoming United States president Donald Trump on Sunday, January 19, after he reportedly helped delay a ban on the Chinese-owned social media giant and as the app restored services in the US.
Source: Tiktok statement on X (formerly Twitter)
Quote: “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.”
Background: The social media platform said it would work with Trump, due to be inaugurated on Monday, “on a long-term solution that keeps TikTok in the United States”.
TikTok went dark in the US earlier on Sunday following the expiry of a deadline for the platform’s Chinese parent firm, ByteDance, to either divest ownership or end operations in the North American country.
In April 2024, outgoing US president Joe Biden signed into law the Protecting Americans from Foreign Adversary Controlled Applications Act as TikTok faced accusations of being used by China to spy on Americans and spread its propaganda, a charge it has denied.
Trump has indicated he is willing to give ByteDance more time to find a US buyer for TikTok before the popular video-sharing app is permanently banned in the United States.
