TikTok says it’s restoring service in the US

It hasn’t even been a whole day since then ByteDance has shut down TikTok in the USand now it says the application is returning. In a statement released 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 who previously said he was considering extending TikTok amid reports of potential bidders (although ByteDance has not expressed interest in selling). “We will work with President Trump on a long-term solution to keep TikTok in the United States,” TikTok said.

At the time of this writing, the TikTok app is working for me again, although before it was showing a message saying “I can’t use TikTok right now”. Ugh, what a pain… checks a watch — 12 hours without him. However, it looks like TikTok hasn’t returned to the App Store or Google Play Store yet, so if you’ve deleted the app from your phone, you might have to wait a little longer to get it back. CapCut, one of the other ByteDance-owned apps affected by the banalso not available.

Although the law banning TikTok was set to go into effect today, January 19, the outgoing administration said it would not enforce it in Biden’s final hours as president. MSNBC reported on Saturday that White House press secretary Karin Jean-Pierre called TikTok’s threat to go dark a “trick,” saying that “we see no reason for TikTok or other companies to take action in the next few days before the Trump administration takes office on Monday.” But TikTok claims it cannot stay online without assurances that service providers will not be penalized.

Trump weighed in on Sunday morning, writing on Truth Social: “I’m asking companies not to let TikTok stay dark! On Monday, I will issue an executive order to extend the period of time before the law’s bans go into effect so we can strike a deal to protect our national security. The order will also confirm that it will not be held liable for any company that helped keep TikTok from disappearing before my order.”

He also outlined a vague plan for how he envisions TikTok’s future in the US. “I would like the United States to have 50% ownership in a joint venture. By doing this, we are saving TikTok, keeping it in good hands and letting it say (sic). Without US approval, there is no Tik Tok.”

According to NPRis Bobby Allynwho spoke to a person familiar with the matter, Trump’s statement was reassuring enough for TikTok’s web providers Oracle and Akamai to restore service. But Apple and Google “still haven’t agreed to let TikTok come back,” reports Allyn. Suppliers which do not comply with the TikTok ban law are facing penalties that could amount to billions of dollars, so it’s no surprise that we’re yet to see TikTok back on the App Store or Google Play Store. Apple has already said of its decision to pull TikTok and other ByteDance apps that it “is obligated to comply with the laws in the jurisdictions where it operates.”

I sincerely hope that you are not already exhausted by the ridiculousness of this situation because, my friends, it is not over.

Update, January 19, 2025, 5:20 PM ET: This story has been updated to add additional information from NPR of the providers that have restored service to TikTok.