TikTok's availability was non-existent last month and when you search it on Google Store and Apple App Store, it will say that its downloads were stopped temporarily. Now, the video-sharing app has officially returned to the US app stores after intensive legal and political action led by President Donald Trump.
The re-addition of TikTok to the Google Play and Apple app stores is a turning point for the app and its 175 million US users, who were uncertain about the app's future due to national security issues.
TikTok's Relaunch is Surprising For Some Users
TikTok's indeterminate destiny commenced with national security issues raised by the American government regarding the ownership of the app by China's ByteDance. As a recap, CNN reports that then-President Joe Biden signed a law in April that compelled ByteDance to sell TikTok to an American or allied business or risk possible prohibition.
The law also provided a 270-day period for this sale to occur. But before the law could be implemented, TikTok was briefly pulled from both the Apple and Google Play stores in January.
Read more: TikTok Alternatives: Impending Ban Might Scare Users, But RedNote, Lemon8, Others Are Here to Stay
Trump's Executive Action Saves TikTok Ban
As the ban approached, President Trump stepped in to postpone its implementation. Earlier this year, he signed an executive order temporarily extending the time before the law's restrictions took effect.
In a Truth Social post, Trump said the delay would give time for a possible agreement to safeguard national security while making the popular app available to millions of Americans.
Trump's move also threw an "olive branch" to TikTok's technology collaborators, such as Apple, Google, and Oracle, by letting them not be fined for their decision to continue serving the app during this time.
The Cupertino giant had earlier removed TikTok from the app store but granted already-downloaded users the ability to keep using the platform. This pushed other users to use unofficial TikTok downloads, per BBC.
Why TikTok Was Temporarily Removed
TikTok's ban from app stores was a result of US national security issues., as mentioned a while ago. The government was concerned that data gathered by TikTok might be transferred to the Chinese government, compromising user privacy.
Under Biden's law, technology companies that hosted TikTok, such as Apple and Google, faced hefty fines if they continued to host the app.
But after Trump's executive order, TikTok was given a lifeline, with a 75-day grace period to negotiate a sale to an American firm, essentially sidestepping a sudden shutdown.
Trump's position on TikTok changed with time. Trump initially supported banning the app based on national security concerns. Later, though, after experiencing the app himself, Trump softened his position.
He said that the app was used mostly by youth, and data collection concerns among minors were secondary to other matters of global importance. This change in opinion assisted in laying the groundwork for the executive order that postponed the ban's enforcement.
A returning TikTok in the app stores is a victory for the tens of millions of American users who count on the service for entertainment, learning, and social connection. But with the threat of national security issues hanging over the company, the app's position in the United States is not guaranteed to last long.
Would some users go as far as to buy the iPhones with TikTok on eBay, even if it costs $50,000, should the TikTok ban be finalized?
