“Surprise Return of TikTok on Popular Social Media Platforms”
Apple and Android pleasantly surprised users in the US by re-introducing TikTok to their app stores on Thursday night. Ever since late January, TikTok’s services had been available in the US, albeit without the app itself. The removal of TikTok’s app was a result of a divest-or-ban law signed by former President Joe Biden. However, Apple and Android have now restored TikTok to their app stores in the US.
Last month, both companies made ByteDance apps, including TikTok, unavailable in the US to comply with the divest-or-ban law that was signed earlier by President Biden in April. TikTok itself went dark for a brief period in the US just before January 20, only to be brought back online after President Donald Trump signed an executive order on his inauguration day, which postponed the ban by 75 days. Trump had expressed openness to potential buyers like Tesla CEO Elon Musk or Oracle cofounder Larry Ellison acquiring TikTok to ensure its continued operation in the country, even suggesting that the US should have partial ownership of the app. However, Musk later clarified that he had no plans to purchase TikTok, stating his preference for building companies from the ground up.
The decision to ban TikTok had received bipartisan support in Congress last year due to national security concerns stemming from ByteDance’s Chinese ownership. ByteDance had vehemently contested the law that mandated its divestiture or ban from the US before January 19, but its appeals were ultimately denied when the Supreme Court upheld the ban on January 17.
Both Apple and TikTok have yet to respond to requests for comments. Meanwhile, a spokesperson for Android has confirmed the return of TikTok to the app store. Apple has also removed a page that previously listed the ByteDance apps that had been taken down.
The restoration of TikTok on Android devices comes shortly after TikTok introduced an Android package kit that enables users to download TikTok and TikTok Lite, effectively circumventing the ban. Seizing the opportunity presented by TikTok’s absence, sellers on eBay and Facebook Marketplace began listing used iPhones at exorbitant prices, touting the inclusion of the TikTok app as a selling point.
Not just individual sellers, but major platforms like Instagram, which is owned by Meta, wasted no time in capitalizing on TikTok’s ban. Shortly after the ban came into effect, Instagram announced the upcoming release of a new video editing application called Edits on March 13, positioning itself as a direct competitor to TikTok and CapCut. Pinterest also took advantage of the situation by circulating a pitch deck to attract advertisers who might be looking to divert their marketing efforts from TikTok, as previously reported by Business Insider.
During the brief hiatus of TikTok, users explored alternative platforms like Clapper and the Chinese app RedNote. The unexpected return of TikTok has undoubtedly reshaped the social media landscape, sparking fierce competition and
