TikTok Is Back Online in the US After Trump Vowed to Pause Ban

TikTok came back online in the US on Sunday, roughly 12 hours after leaving its 170 million American users without access as a result of a federal ban stemming from concerns the Chinese-owned company was misusing Americans’ data.

The video-sharing platform attributed its US revival to President-elect Donald Trump, who, during his first term in 2020, also wanted to ban it over national security concerns. Recently, however, he had a change of heart, crediting TikTok for helping him win over young voters in the 2024 presidential election. Trump promised to pause the ban by executive order, a move frowned upon by his fellow Republicans.

Trump unveiled plans to “extend the period of time before the law’s prohibitions take effect so that we can make a deal to protect our national security,” a day before his inauguration.

During the pause of the ban, Trump hopes to reach a middle ground with TikTok regarding selling the app to a non-Chinese owner. In a post on the Trump-owned Truth Social, he said the US should have “a 50% ownership position in a joint venture” with TikTok’s existing parent company or a new owner. This setting, he believes, would “keep it in good hands and allow it to say [sic] up.”

ByteDance, on the other hand, has long opposed selling its app. TikTok’s one-of-a-kind, powerful algorithm keeps users hooked, and even social media veterans like Meta and YouTube have attempted to replicate it without success. Putting a price tag on such a valuable asset would be a real challenge, but some analysts estimate it could be worth as much as $50 billion.

Potential US buyers with enough resources to afford such a big-budget deal have already submitted formal bids for the app. These include a group led by former Los Angeles Dodgers owner Frank McCourt and “Shark Tank’s” Kevin O’Leary, and AI search engine PerplexityAI, among others. Several outlets have also reported that China, and X-owner, Trump ally, and billionaire Elon Musk have held talks about selling, which ByteDance denied.

TikTok’s future in the US is still uncertain. For now, two possible solutions could secure its survival on US soil: a new law that would reverse the old one or selling part or the entire app to an acceptable buyer.