TikTok returned to the U.S. app stores of Apple and Google on Thursday as President Donald Trump delayed a ban on the Chinese-owned social media app and assured the tech giants they would not be fined for distributing or maintaining it.
The popular short video app used by nearly half of all Americans went dark briefly last month, before a law took effect on January 19 that requires its Chinese owner ByteDance either to sell it on national security grounds or face a ban.
The following day, Trump signed an executive order seeking to delay the enforcement of the ban by 75 days, allowing TikTok to continue its operations in the U.S. temporarily.
Although TikTok resumed service after Trump's assurances, Google, opens new tab and Apple, opens new tab kept the app removed from their U.S. app stores.
TikTok, the second-most downloaded app in the U.S. last year, said on Thursday that its latest app was now available for download.
The delay could have been because Google and Apple were awaiting assurances that they would not be prosecuted for hosting or distributing the app, according to analysts.
Trump's directive said the companies, which run mobile application stores or digital marketplaces where users can browse, download and update apps, would not face penalties for keeping the TikTok app up and running.
TikTok had more than 52 million downloads in 2024, according to market intelligence firm Sensor Tower.
About 52% of its total downloads were from Apple App Store, while 48% were from Google Play in the U.S. last year, Sensor Tower said.
The law that requires ByteDance to sell TikTok's U.S. assets or ultimately face a ban was signed by then President Joe Biden last April, triggered by national security concerns and fears that China could use the video-sharing app to spy on American users.
The U.S. has never banned a major social media platform and the law that passed last year gives the government sweeping authority to ban or seek the sale of other Chinese-owned apps.
Trump said on Thursday that his 75-day deadline on TikTok could be extended.
The turmoil at TikTok attracted several potential buyers, including former Los Angeles Dodgers owner Frank McCourt, who have expressed interest in the fast-growing business that analysts estimate could be worth as much as $50 billion.
Trump has said that he was in talks with multiple people over TikTok's purchase and would likely have a decision on the app's future in February.
Spain is battling some of the largest wildfires in its history, with uncontrolled blazes raging in more than 50 locations from the north to the south ...
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy will meet U.S. President Donald Trump in Washington on Monday, days after Trump’s summit with Russian Presid...
The United States has deployed more than 4,000 Marines and sailors to waters near Latin America and the Caribbean in a major move against drug cartels...
The Washington Agreement between Armenia and Azerbaijan has sparked a mix of hope, doubt, and cautious realism among Armenians....
The hurricane was located about 170 km north of Anguilla, with maximum sustained winds near 255 km/h, according to the National Hurricane Center (NHC)...
TikTok is building a new version of its app for U.S. users ahead of a planned sale to American investors, The Information reported, as President Donald Trump prepares fresh talks with China over the platform’s future.
U.S. President Donald Trump says a group of “very wealthy people” is ready to buy TikTok, but the deal will require China’s sign-off—despite looming deadlines under U.S. law.
President Donald Trump is preparing to extend the federal deadline for TikTok’s U.S. ban for a third time, as the June 19 cutoff approaches with no finalized deal in sight, according to government officials.
TikTok was fined 530 million euros ($600 million) by its lead EU privacy regulator on Friday over concerns on how it protects user information and was ordered to suspend data transfers to China if its processing is not brought into compliance within six months.
A powerful eruption at Japan’s Shinmoedake volcano sent an ash plume more than 3,000 metres high on Sunday morning, prompting safety warnings from authorities.
According to the German Research Centre for Geosciences (GFZ), a magnitude 5.7 earthquake struck the Oaxaca region of Mexico on Saturday.
A resumption of Iraq’s Kurdish oil exports is not expected in the near term, sources familiar with the matter said on Friday, despite an announcement by Iraq’s federal government a day earlier stating that shipments would resume immediately.
A magnitude 5.2 earthquake struck 56 kilometres east of Gorgan in northern Iran early Sunday morning, according to preliminary seismic data.
A deadly heatwave has claimed 1,180 lives in Spain since May, with elderly people most at risk, prompting calls for urgent social support.
Spain is battling some of the largest wildfires in its history, with uncontrolled blazes raging in more than 50 locations from the north to the south of the country, forcing over 4,000 people to spend the night outdoors.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy will meet U.S. President Donald Trump in Washington on Monday, days after Trump’s summit with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Alaska ended without a ceasefire deal.
The United States has deployed more than 4,000 Marines and sailors to waters near Latin America and the Caribbean in a major move against drug cartels, CNN reported on Friday, citing defence officials.
West Virginia Governor Patrick Morrisey is deploying 300 to 400 National Guard troops to Washington at the request of the Trump administration, his office confirmed Saturday.
A China-supported landmine elimination project has cleared more than 160 square kilometres of contaminated land in Cambodia since 2018, directly benefiting over 2.6 million people, officials said Saturday.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment