After a brief 12-hour ban, TikTok is back in the US - and Americans have Donald Trump to thank for it.
The chaos began when the Supreme Court unanimously voted to allow a TikTok ban to proceed.
Pop-up notifications were sent to US-registered accounts, and access to the app was shut down just hours before midnight on January 19th.
It was a very quiet night on TikTok as New Zealand, Australian, Canadian and UK creators mourned the loss of some of their favourite creators and began joking about a secret club.
Today, Trump announced plans to sign an executive order extending the deadline for TikTok to secure a US-based buyer.
When the app initially went dark, users were greeted with a pop-up message reading: “Sorry, TikTok isn’t available right now.”
“We are fortunate that Donald Trump has indicated that he will work with us on a solution to reinstate TikTok once he takes office. Please stay tuned!”
Just hours later, another message appeared: “Thanks for your patience and support. As a result of President Trump’s efforts, TikTok is back in the US!”
While the app now works for existing users, it is still unavailable in the Google and Apple app stores, making it impossible to install on new devices.
Millions of US users are returning to the app after a dramatic and emotional exit, which had major influencers reposting old videos to reminisce, giving us a glimpse into drafts that were never shared and revealing truths that had fooled the internet for years.
Charli D’Amelio, one of TikTok’s most-followed influencers with 156 million followers, cleared the air about a years-old controversy involving an "anxiety pen."
When she was caught with what looked like a vape at age 15, social media quickly spread the theory that it was an anxiety pen to save her reputation.
In her confession, Charli admitted: “It wasn’t an anxiety pen. To this day, I don’t know who came up with that.”
What next for TikTok? Well, they’re banking their future scrolling on a US buyer.
Even creator MrBeast expressed interest, posting a video from TikTok’s US headquarters last week.
In the clip, he said: “I just got out of a meeting with a bunch of millionaires. TikTok, we mean business. We have an offer ready - we want to buy the platform.”
America deserves TikTok, give me a seat at the table, let me save this platform.
While it’s unclear if MrBeast’s offer is legitimate or just a playful stunt, the idea of one of the most influential creators owning TikTok is gaining interest.
Meanwhile, some TikTok users have sought refuge on a new platform called RedNote, a Chinese-owned app focusing on "quality content”.
Many users have already converted to the new app calling themselves “TikTok refugees” and they’ve been welcomed with open arms.
For now, the majority of users are flocking back to TikTok, but the platform’s future remains uncertain.
