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It hasn't even been a full day since ByteDance shut down TikTok in the US, and now it says it's coming back. In a statement posted on X Sunday afternoon, TikTok wrote, In agreement with our service providers, TikTok is in the process of restoring service. The statement also thanked Trump, who will be sworn in on Monday and previously said he was considering giving TikTok an extension amid reports of potential bidders (though ByteDance has expressed no interest in selling). We will work with President Trump on a long-term solution that keeps TikTok in the United States, TikTok said. At the time of this writing, the TikTok app is once again up and running for me despite previously showing a message saying I can't use TikTok for now. Phew, what an agonizing checks watch 12 hours that was without it. TikTok doesn't yet seem to be back in the App Store or Google Play Store, though, so if you deleted the app from your phone, you'll probably have to wait a little longer to get it back. CapCut, one of the other apps affected by the ban, also isn't available. STATEMENT FROM TIKTOK: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 TikTok Policy (@TikTokPolicy) January 19, 2025 While the law banning TikTok was set to go into effect today, January 19, the outgoing administration has expressed that it would not be enforcing it in Bidens final hours as president. MSNBC reported on Saturday that White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre called TikToks threat to go dark a stunt, saying we see no reason for TikTok or other companies to take actions in the next few days before the Trump Administration takes office on Monday. But TikTok maintained that it couldnt stay online without assurance that service providers would not be punished. Trump chimed in on Sunday morning, writing on Truth Social, Im asking companies not to let TikTok stay dark! I will issue an executive order on Monday to extend the period of time before the laws prohibitions take effect, so that we can make a deal to protect our national security. The order will also confirm that there will be no liability for any company that helped keep TikTok from going dark before my order. He also outlined a vague plan for how he envisions TikToks future in the US. I would like the United States to have a 50% ownership position in a joint venture. By doing this, we save TikTok, keep it in good hands and allow it to say [sic] up. Without U.S. approval, there is no Tik Tok. I sure hope you arent already exhausted by the back and forth ridiculousness of this situation because, my friends, its not over.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/social-media/tiktok-says-its-restoring-service-in-the-us-175440013.html?src=rss
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Its been unclear in the leadup to the TikTok ban what the fate of parent company ByteDances other apps would be, but now we know: theyve gone dark in the US too. At the same time TikTok went offline this weekend, so did other apps ByteDance has developed or is affiliated with, including the popular video-editing tool CapCut, the social media platform Lemon8 and Marvel Snap. All are now displaying messages to US users that their services are unavailable. Ben Brode, Chief Development Officer for Marvel Snap developer Second Dinner, wrote on Threads that getting caught up in the ban was a surprise to us and that the team is working on getting it back online. Second Dinner echoed this on X and in its in-app message to users, adding, MARVEL SNAP isnt going anywhere. While Marvel Snap was created by the US-based developer, its publisher Nuverse Games is a ByteDance subsidiary. Other Nuverse games appear to be affected too. CapCut and Lemon8 may be less surprising casualties, both having been developed by ByteDance, but given the laws focus on TikTok alone as its target, their shutdown is still sure to come as a shock to many users. CapCut is widely used for video editing, especially among social media creators. And many TikTok users looking for an alternative in light of the ban flocked to Lemon8; just a few days ago, Lemon8 was the second most-popular app on the App Store. On a new support page listing some of the affected apps, Apple notes, If you already have these apps installed on your device, they will remain on your device. But they cant be redownloaded if deleted or restored if you move to a new device. In-app purchases and new subscriptions are no longer possible. These apps also wont receive updates. Along with TikTok, CapCut, Lemon8 and Marvel Snap, Apple names Lark, Hypic an AI photo editing tool and Gauth: AI Study Companion as apps that have been pulled as a result of the ban. But there are many others that arent listed that may be swept up in it too. Apple is obligated to follow the laws in the jurisdictions where it operates, Apple said in a statement on the support page. Pursuant to the Protecting Americans from Foreign Adversary Controlled Applications Act, apps developed by ByteDance Ltd. and its subsidiaries including TikTok, CapCut, Lemon8, and others will no longer be available for download or updates on the App Store for users in the United States starting January 19, 2025.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/social-media/marvel-snap-capcut-lemon8-and-other-bytedance-apps-have-also-shut-down-in-the-us-alongside-tiktok-153002137.html?src=rss
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The switch has flipped on the US TikTok ban. TikTok's app stoped working and was removed from the App Store and Google Play on Saturday night, just hours before the January 19 ban was expected to take effect. People who have previously installed the app are instead greeted with a pop-up. "Sorry, TikTok isn't available right now," it says. "A law banning TikTok has been enacted in the U.S. Unfortunately, that means you can't use TikTok for now. 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 notice gives the option to close the app or "learn more," which directs users to TikTok's website, which has similar language. Existing users can also download their data from the website. ByteDance's popular video editing app, CapCut, is also no longer available within the US. Following the passage of the "Protecting Americans from Foreign Adversary Controlled Apps Act" by President Biden, TikTok had six months to divest itself from Chinese parent company ByteDance. The company opted to fight the law, bringing a case to the Supreme Court claiming that its First Amendment rights were violated by the measure. The high court, with a limited amount of time to consider the case, ruled unanimously against the app. As part of the ban, Apple's App Store, Google's Play Store and any other app marketplace must remove TikTok or be subject to a fine of $5,000 for every user in the US that downloads the app. White House officials said earlier in the week that the ban would not be enforced during President Joe Biden's final hours in office, but TikTok said that the government had "failed to provide the necessary clarity and assurance to the service providers that are integral to maintaining TikTok's availability to over 170 million Americans." Multiple attempts have been made to ban TikTok in the US over concerns of spying, but this is the first time one has stuck, at least temporarily. President-elect Donald Trump was a major supporter of a ban during his first term in office and, ironically, is TikTok's only hope of surviving after his second inauguration. Earlier on Saturday, Trump told NBC News that he would "most likely" grant a 90-day extension to the company after taking office. Should an extension come, it's not clear what kind of arrangement the company may work out to remain in the US after all. Perplexity AI has reportedly submitted a bid to merge with TikTok's stateside operations, CNBC reported. Others, including investor Kevin O'Leary (of Shark Tank fame) have also made proposals or expressed interest in buying the service. Additional reporting by Karissa Bell.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/social-media/tiktok-is-no-longer-available-in-the-us-040204115.html?src=rss
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