TikTok was restored in both Apple and Google app stores. The return comes after weeks of uncertainty over the app’s future.
Users received the news when opening the platform on Feb. 13.
“TikTok is now available on the App Store and Google Play. Download the latest version of the app to discover and share more of what you love on TikTok,” the message said.
The announcement follows newly appointed, U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi sending a letter to the companies dismissing legal action, according to Bloomberg.
@maddyhiller the 99+ notifications like catch me up guys!! #fyp #tiktokbackonappstore #tiktokban #greenscreen ♬ original sound – nickharris
All app store platforms were granted a reprieve for hosting the ByteDance property by President Donald Trump on Jan. 21, one day after his inauguration. The president gave ByteDance, a Chinese company, 75 days to sell half of its company to an American entity.
“I am instructing the Attorney General not to take any action to enforce the Act for a period of 75 days from today to allow my Administration an opportunity to determine the appropriate course forward,” the order reads.
The initial mandate for the company to sell its intellectual property came in early 2024. Congress overwhelmingly voted to ban TikTok from U.S. users, claiming the app is a threat to national security.
Complying with the order, TikTok shut down the app, rendering it useless, on Jan. 18. The app was restored on Jan. 19, and with its return came a message thanking President Trump for his assistance.
In the days leading up to the official ban, many of the app’s 170 million users migrated to Xiahongshu, or “Little Red Book.” Ignoring congressional concerns that Chinese-based companies had access to Americans’ personal data, users downloaded the app in defiance.
The return of TikTok to the app store restores U.S. users’ access to the Chinese-owned app. There have been no reports of a merger between ByteDance and any U.S. company.
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