TikTok began restoring its services in the U.S. on Sunday after President-elect Donald Trump announced plans to revive the app’s access upon taking office on Monday. Trump said the U.S. would seek a joint venture for TikTok, with the government aiming for 50% ownership to address national security concerns. The app had stopped functioning after a law banning it took effect, citing risks of data misuse under its Chinese parent company, ByteDance.
TikTok thanked Trump for his support and started gradually restoring its services, although the app remained unavailable in U.S. app stores. Trump plans to extend the ban’s enforcement period to finalize a deal. This move marks a shift from his 2020 stance when he sought to ban TikTok over data security fears. ByteDance’s other apps, CapCut and Lemon8, were also offline in the U.S.
TikTok CEO Shou Zi Chew is set to attend Trump’s inauguration, and ByteDance is reportedly exploring partnerships, including a potential merger with U.S. startup Perplexity AI. The decision to restore TikTok comes as the platform faces growing scrutiny and spurs urgency among businesses and users who rely on it.
Source – CGTN