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TikTok was banned due to concerns the Chinese government could exploit the app to spy on Americans or covertly influence US public opinion.
The Chinese-owned social media app which has more than 170 million American users. Picture: iStock
Short-form video platform TikTok returned to the Apple and Google app stores on Thursday evening after US President Donald Trump delayed its ban until 5 April.
The Chinese-owned social media app which has more than 170 million American users, was removed from Apple and Google’s app stores on 18 January, after the platform’s leadership temporarily halted service in the US to the dismay of millions of users.
TikTok ban
This was in response to a national security law that went into effect the next day.
TikTok restored service to users after the popular video-sharing platform went dark in compliance with a federal ban that Trump said he would try to pause by executive order on his first day in office.
The law effectively banned TikTok nationwide unless it splits off from ByteDance, its China-based owner.
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Back online
The ban was passed due to concerns that the Chinese government could exploit the app to spy on Americans or covertly influence US public opinion through data collection and content manipulation.
TikTok is still facing a potential ban in the US if the Supreme Court decides to uphold a national security law in which service providers such as Apple and Google would be penalised for hosting the app after the deadline.
TikTok in a post on X on Friday said that’s its ‘latest’ app is available for download from both the Apple and Google Play Stores.
The latest TikTok app is now available to download
— TikTok US (@tiktok_us) February 14, 2025
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