Tiktok Returns To App Stores As Trump Mulls Ban Delay

TikTok is back in app stores in the US after it was pulled over the threat of a total ban. The app was downloaded over 52 million times in 2024, with the US making up over 170 million of the total user base.

It’s assumed that Apple and Google did their due diligence before allowing the app back onto their platforms. Now, it’ll be up to the company to decide whether it’s worth selling the US branch of its operations to an American-led operation.

President Donald Trump was left to decide on TikTok’s fate after the Biden administration ended. Trump extended the time limit for parent company Bytedance to decide by 75 days, which now has until April 5.

Trump has said that the deadline could be extended even further. Speaking in the Oval Office, Trump said that it “will be China’s advantage to have the deal be made.”

Days before Trump returned to power, the app was quickly brought back online after a 12-15 hour downtime. American users were greeted by messages thanking Trump and the US flag populating the search bar instead of the usual text prompt.

It was during Trump’s first term that the TikTok ban was originally floated by the US government. Concerns over national security were partially the reason, but in recent months, American politicians were a little more candid.

US politicians think TikTok spreads Chinese propaganda

Senator Mark Warner spoke to NBC News last year claiming that “TikTok’s owners are ultimately beholden… to the Communist Party of China.” Tom Cotton, a Republican senator, has published a webpage dated January 15 claiming that it “spreads communist propaganda.”

However, in court documents from July 30, 2024, US officials have said that there’s no evidence that China spreads propaganda over TikTok. Chinese users have their own version of TikTok, Douyin, which is specifically catered to the region’s regulations and laws.

What has been pointed out by politically focused users like Alex Pearlman, who goes by Pearlmania500, is that the US government is concerned about open communications with other users. This has led to more informed users about ongoing worldwide events, like the Israel/Gaza war, LGBTQ+ rights, and reporting on the rise of the far-right in American politics.

The US is also concerned that its citizens’ data is being accessed and monitored by the Chinese. It is not concerned that American companies like Meta and X also have the same access to this data.

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