TikTok reinstates service after Trump guarantees to avoid wasting the app with day one govt order

Someday earlier than his inauguration, president-elect Donald Trump pledged to concern a day one govt order meant to avoid wasting TikTok, regardless of being a foremost proponent of a ban throughout his first time period.

Posting to Reality Social on Jan. 19, Trump wrote that he was seeking to “prolong the time period earlier than the legislation’s prohibitions take impact” and foster a “deal to guard our nationwide safety,” suggesting that he intends to dealer a three way partnership that might lead to an American firm taking 50 p.c possession. He referred to as on corporations to “not let TikTok go darkish” and stated he may “verify that there will likely be no legal responsibility for any firm that helped hold TikTok from going darkish earlier than my order.”

TikTok rapidly responded, saying it was working to reinstate service following Trump’s statements. The app was up and operating for present customers shortly after, though it nonetheless stays off U.S. app shops. “We thank President Trump for offering the required readability and assurance to our service suppliers that they are going to face no penalties offering TikTok to over 170 million Individuals and permitting over 7 million small companies to thrive,” wrote the platform on their official coverage account on X.

Regardless of Trump solely promising to work on saving the app, and never but bestowed with govt energy, a brand new pop-up notification on the platform reads:

Welcome again!
Thanks on your endurance and assist. On account of President Trump’s efforts, TikTok is again within the U.S.!
You may proceed to create, share, and uncover all of the belongings you love on TikTok.

Credit score: Screenshot / TikTok

In a reversal from his earlier stance and govt orders throughout his first presidential time period, Trump has turned in favor of the China-owned firm during the last 12 months. Final month, the president-elect despatched an amicus transient to the U.S. Supreme Courtroom arguing he’s uniquely positioned to avoid wasting TikTok and defend the nation’s nationwide safety goals, asking the court docket to grant a keep on the ban. The court docket later upheld the ban.

Trump and tech’s greatest names have been courting one another’s favor for months, particularly following Trump’s marketing campaign victory. On Jan. 17, TikTok CEO Shou Chew posted a public message to customers by which he thanked Trump for his efforts to reinstate the app. “It is a robust stand for the First Modification and in opposition to arbitrary censorship,” stated Chew. “We’re grateful and happy to have the assist of a president who really understands our platform — one who has used TikTok to specific his personal ideas and views, connecting with the world and producing greater than 60 billion views of his content material within the course of.”

Not lengthy after the app went darkish, TikTok altered an in-app pop up message alerting customers to the ban. The unique message learn:

We remorse {that a} U.S. legislation banning TikTok will take impact on January 19 and drive us to make our providers briefly unavailable.
We’re working to revive our service within the U.S. as quickly as attainable, and we recognize your assist. Please keep tuned.

The revised notification learn:

A legislation banning TikTok has been enacted within the U.S. Sadly, meaning you possibly can’t use TikTok for now.
We’re lucky that President Trump has indicated that he’ll work with us on an answer to reinstate TikTok as soon as he takes workplace. Please keep tuned!

The pop-up was then eliminated.

It isn’t simply TikTok, both. Meta’s Mark Zuckerberg, Amazon’s Jeff Bezos, and Tesla/ X proprietor Elon Musk, who is about to rating an advisory place beneath the brand new administration, have additionally publicly praised Trump and his coverage positions, notably surrounding his controversial stances on content material moderation and free speech. Meta lately overhauled its moderation and DEI insurance policies within the title of a extra “free speech” supportive platform, abolishing its variety mandates and loosening its hate speech insurance policies to incorporate beforehand banned types of content material. And OpenAI’s Sam Altman has defended his resolution to donate tens of millions in private contributions to Trump’s inaugural fund, in response to a letter from U.S. Senators hinting at attainable corruption.

A lot of Massive Tech’s interior circle, together with Chew, are anticipated to seem on the inaugural swearing-in ceremony on Monday.

UPDATE: Jan. 19, 2025, 1:58 p.m. EST This piece was up to date to incorporate a brand new in-app notification added shortly after TikTok reinstated service.