This week, one of the world’s most popular social media platforms — TikTok — was subjected to an unprecedented shutdown (so, far) in the United States.
Millions of users were met with an unsettling message: Unfortunately, TikTok isn’t currently available. The US has enacted a law banning TikTok.”
A U.S. Supreme Court ruling that upheld a law forcing ByteDance, TikTok’s Chinese parent company, to sell off its U.S. operations triggered the ban.
National security concerns over the possibility of giving the Chinese government access to the data of tens of millions of American users was the driving factor in this decision.
In a sense, the court’s ruling forced TikTok to play ball, removing the app from the Google and Apple app stores.
But Oracle and other service providers disabled servers hosting TikTok’s data in the U.S. to service just that portion of the platform, and left U.S. users with nothing.
TikTok was a staple as a form of communication, entertainment, and creativity, first – that abrupt halt created a wave of reactions across the nation.
Users raged, and many hosted virtual farewell gatherings, or migrated to other platforms.
Then, they worried content creators and business who relied on a TikTok would suffer a seismic change to the digital landscape.
But it underscored growing tensions between the U.S.’s national security and its technology industries, with lawmakers pushing for more control over foreign-owned apps.
The ruling thrust ByteDance onto a tight clock to identify a U.S. buyer for TikTok that is not subject to a permanent ban.
The company rejected multiple offers from investors to sell the platform, including fears over valuation and keeping control of operations across the globe.
ByteDance said it disappointed in the situation and that an accelerated solution was requested.
The app’s unavailability caused uncertainty, but one unexpected shock from the forthcoming U.S. administration extinguished it.
Hinting at a plan to address the issue and perhaps reverse the ban, President-elect Donald Trump will be inaugurated on Jan. 20.
The fact that this happened so late during Trump’s tenure was a shock to many: You’d think you’d be able to ban TikTok a first time through.
Trump tweeted on Truth Social that he was going to issue an executive order allowing ByteDance to extend its deadline to divest its U.S. operations.
The ban’s enforcement would be delayed by 90 days under the proposed order to give time for a viable sale negotiated under terms that meet security concerns.
Trump also proposed a unique condition: They are also asking for a 50% ownership stake in TikTok for the United States or an American entity to be given a 50% ownership stake in the platform, and that TikTok operations stay secure.
But highlighting things like this allowed Trump to save TikTok for its millions of users, keep it in good hands and continue to be up.
It was good news for TikTok’s loyal audience who were glad for the potential reversal as they could regain access to the app.
Trump’s proposal was acknowledged by ByteDance, who offered to talk in the hope of a resolution.
The move signalled a temporary respite for users and content creators alike, as services in the U.S. started to gradually come back on to TikTok.
For now, the crisis is averted, but TikTok’s long-term future in the U.S. is unclear, as ongoing negotiations continue to try and figure out TikTok’s future in this country.
It highlights how the tensions around national security, user freedoms, and how to best regulate global digital platforms all work to create a precarious leash even with the best of intentions.
For now TikTok’s devoted community stands by desperately looking for a satisfactory conclusion to the cat and mouse game, that would allow the app to run freely in the US.