TikTok is already back in the United States following a brief ban. TikTok is one of the biggest platforms on the planet. It has evolved beyond just short form videos to live streams and even a shop where people can buy items for cheap and even promote items for commission. It’s a thriving app and one that has managed to absolutely dominate the social media landscape compared to its biggest competitors such as YouTube and Instagram. Many have even been able to make lucrative careers on TikTok and launched large scale empires. TikTok influencers like Addison Rae have created acting careers for themselves, starring in films like the successful Eli Roth horror film Thanksgiving.
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However, things went south pretty rapidly recently after the Supreme Court opted to ban TikTok over national security concerns. The ban has been in the works since 2020, but many thought it was too ambitious to actually achieve. However, the United States government got it done, much to the frustration of the American people. On Saturday, January 18th, TikTok officially pulled the plug on its services in the United States. Users were distraught as they were unable to use the app and were only given a message regarding the new law banning the app and the option to close the app.
TikTok Is Unbanned; Begins to Resume Services
With that said, less than 24 hours later, TikTok has confirmed that it is planning to bring the app back online after working with President-elect Donald Trump. The app appears to be coming back online in waves, as ComicBook can confirm that the app is now working as usual. You can read TikTok’s statement below.
“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. 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.”
The TikTok ban noted that Chinese owner ByteDance must sell to a United States entity to continue operating in the country, but it’s unclear if Trump will enforce that or offer an alternative deal. ByteDance was previously unwilling to sell, so it would be hard to imagine the company bends its knee over the exact same conditions.
TikTok was not the only casualty of this ban, though. Popular digital card game Marvel Snap also got banned and abruptly shut down on Saturday night, much to the surprise of its players. The game is published by Nuverse, a subsidiary of ByteDance, which meant it was covered as part of the overall ban. It’s likely Marvel Snap will also be brought back online shortly too.
