TikTok resumes its activity in the United States after the announcement of Trump’s moratorium

Chijioke Obinna

TikTok resumes its activity in the United States after the announcement of Trump's moratorium

The American president-elect, Donald Trump confirmed this Sunday that he will grant a 90-day extension to TikTok so that it can operate in the country and thus avoid its ban. At the same time, he has announced that he would like American companies to have a 50% share on this platform, currently owned by ByteDance to keep it “in good hands.” On his social network, Truth Social, Trump has asked several American companies not to allow TikTok “to remain in the dark.”

Following the announcement, TikTok resumed its activity in the United States this Sunday, so American users have recovered the application about twelve hours after the Chinese company itself went “black” as a result of the law that prohibits its activity. The application did not allow videos to be viewed and only presented a message urging its users to “stay attentive.”

TikTok closure

TikTok stopped working this Sunday in the United States after the Supreme Court on Friday upheld a law passed last year by Congress that forced the platform to separate itself from its parent company, the Chinese company ByteDance, or face closure. This way, about 170 million users were affected not being able to use the social network. A platform that for many meant an important source of income.

TikTok’s decision was applied approximately one hour and a half before the entry into force of the law, scheduled for 00:01 on SundayET.

According to the Joe Biden Government, TikTok took this step on its own initiative, Since after the Supreme Court ruling, the White House announced that the current Executive would not apply the regulations and that its compliance would be in the hands of the new Trump Administration, who will take office on Monday.

Trump said his executive order will extend the deadline agreed to for TikTok so that it can be reach an agreement to protect national security. “The order will also confirm that there will be no liability for any company that helped prevent TikTok from disappearing before my order,” said the president-elect, according to whom Americans deserve to see his “exciting” inauguration.

Trump considered that If the United States gets a 50% stake in the joint venture, TikTok is saved and is allowed to prosper. Without US approval, he said, there is no TikTok. With its approval, it is “worth hundreds of billions of dollars, perhaps trillions.”

“My initial idea is a joint venture between the current owners and/or the new owners, whereby the US obtains a 50% ownership in an established joint venture between the US and the purchase we choose,” he concluded.

Withdrawal from Apple and Google stores

Hours after withdrawal, Apple and Google proceeded to remove TikTok from their mobile application stores in the United Statesas required by law, as confirmed by the Cupertino company, “obliged to comply with the laws in the jurisdictions where it operates,” according to a statement published on its website, while Google has not yet commented on the matter.

The law, signed in April by President Joe Biden, ordered TikTok’s parent company, China-based ByteDance Ltd., to divest its U.S. business (an action ByteDance refused to do) or face to a closure. American companies that host or distribute TikTok in the United States are now required to stop doing so, or risk billion dollar fines.

The law does not mention the US companies by name, but stipulates that it would be illegal for “an entity”, “a marketplace” such as a mobile app store or “internet hosting services to permit the distribution, maintenance or updating” of TikTok and other ByteDance products.

Companies that break the law They could face huge penalties determined “by multiplying $5,000 by the number of users”. In a country where more than half the population is on TikTok (the app claims 170 million monthly users in the United States), those fines could add up quickly.

Apple has also removed other apps developed by ByteDance and its subsidiaries, including CapCut, Lemon8 and Lark, a work productivity app similar to Slack, as well as the well-known superhero video game MARVEL SNAP.

Chijioke Obinna

I've been passionate about storytelling and journalism since my early days growing up in Lagos. With a background in political science and years of experience in investigative reporting, I aim to bring nuanced perspectives to pressing global issues. Outside of writing, I enjoy exploring Nigeria’s vibrant cultural scene and mentoring young aspiring journalists.