TikTok made available in the US again just hours after shutdown

19 January, 2025

TikTok has been made available for US users again, just hours after it was shut down by a Supreme Court ruling.

The social media platform ceased operating in the country on Saturday (January 18) after the court set a deadline for Sunday for the site to be sold to American owners or address the national security concerns identified by Congress.

“Sorry, TikTok isn’t available right now. A law banning TikTok has been enacted in the U.S. Unfortunately, that means you can’t use TikTok for now,” was the message seen by users of the app after the shutdown.

“We are fortunate that President Trump has indicated that he will work with us on a solution to reinstate TikTok once he takes office. Please stay tuned!”

The President Elect later said that he would “most likely” give TikTok a 90-day delay to its ban after his inauguration on Monday (January 20), saying it would be the “appropriate” action to take.

As of approximately midday ET on Sunday (January 19), the Chinese-owned platform reactivated its service for its 170 million American users, with the company saying that they are “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,” they added.

TikTok on a mobile phone
TikTok on a mobile phone – CREDIT: Illustration by Jaque Silva/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images

The future of the site was first thrown into question when its Chinese parent company, ByteDance, lost an appeal last month against a US law seeking to ban it. ByteDance also said repeatedly that it was not willing to sell, although doing so would allow it to remain available in the country.

The sell-or-ban measure for TikTok was issued into law by an outgoing Biden last year amid claims that the company’s ownership structure could allow the Chinese government to gain access to the data of its millions of American users.

It has been estimated that the consequence of a US TikTok ban could have a significant impact on the music industry. A recent report by the platform claimed that a majority of US and UK chart-topping singles in 2024 were associated with a TikTok trend.

Celebrities including Lizzo and Kesha reacted to the closure of the app, with some referring to it as a “dystopian” moment.

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