After TikTok went dark after pulling its plug on United States territory, it appears that the video platform will be returning less than 24 hours later. In a statement shared by TikTok themselves, they have announced that they are restoring their service. They also thanked President-elect Donald Trump for helping them to do so.
The announcement was shared via TikTok Policy's X account. Many users online, who were convinced TikTok was gone for good, were delighted.
"In agreement with our service providers, TikTok is in the process of restoring service," TikTok wrote. "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."
TikTok then called the restoration of their service a "strong stand for the First Amendment and against arbitrary censorship." They will work alongside President Trump to find a long-term solution. This could potentially ensure that TikTok remains online in the United States.
TikTok And Trump
ByteDance, TikTok's owner, voluntarily shut down their services in the U.S. on Saturday, hours before the Sunday deadline established by law. While reports suggest that TikTok is yet to be back online to its full capacity, it is expected that the video platform will return periodically.
On Saturday, President-elect Donald Trump talked about the TikTok ban on Truth Social. He stated that he would extend the time before the prohibition effectively takes effect.
"I will issue an executive order on Monday to extend the period of time before the law's prohibitions take effect, so that we can make a deal to protect our national security," Trump wrote. "The order will also confirm that there will be no liability for any company that helped keep TikTok from going dark before my order."
Trump advocated for a TikTok ban during his first term. However, he has stated recently that he will save the app. President Biden signed the prohibition law in April 2024. His administration, however, stated that he would not enforce the ban, leaving the decision to the Trump administration.
Only time will see if TikTok will be back for good. It will depend on the video platform's ability to negotiate a deal with the Trump administration.
