TikTok announced on Sunday that it was returning to operation after President-elect Donald Trump stated that he would restore access to the app in the United States once he took office on Monday.
The statement came after U.S. users reported that they were able to access the website of the Chinese-owned application. However, the TikTok app itself did not appear to be immediately functional.
“In agreement with our service providers, TikTok is in the process of returning to full operation,” said the social media platform in a statement. It also thanked Mr. Trump for “providing the clarity and assurance necessary for our service providers for over 170 million Americans that they will not face any penalties and allowing over 7 million small businesses to thrive.”
TikTok ceased operations for its 170 million American users on Saturday night, just before a law to ban it was set to take effect due to national security concerns. U.S. officials had warned that, under its parent company ByteDance, there was a risk of misuse of American data.
President-elect Donald Trump stated that he would “extend the time frame before the law’s restrictions take effect so we can reach a deal to protect our national security.”
“I would like the United States to have over 50% ownership,” he wrote on the social media platform Truth.
Mr. Trump also said that his executive order would clarify that no company assisting TikTok in remaining operational would face any liability before his order takes effect.
Earlier, President-elect Trump had said that, in all likelihood, he would give the social media platform TikTok a 90-day extension before the ban took effect, once he took office. TikTok referred to this promise by Mr. Trump in the announcement shared with users on the app.
“A law banning TikTok has been passed in the United States. Unfortunately, this means that you cannot use TikTok at the moment. We are fortunate that President Trump has indicated he will work with us toward a solution to bring TikTok back online as soon as he takes office,” read the message notifying users of the social media platform.
Even if temporary, the unprecedented shutdown of TikTok will have a broad impact on U.S.-China relations, U.S. politics, the social media market, and millions of Americans who rely on the app both economically and culturally.
