TikTok, the popular short-video app, has returned to Apple and Google’s app stores in the United States, weeks after being removed due to a new federal law. This move has sparked significant interest, especially following the Supreme Court ruling that validated the law, and after former President Donald Trump’s decision to suspend its enforcement.
The law, signed by President Joe Biden last year, required TikTok’s operator, the Chinese company ByteDance, to sell the app to non-Chinese owners by January 19, 2025. The main reason for the law was the concern that the Chinese government might use user data, posing a national security threat to the United States. The law also stipulated that app store operators and internet hosting companies would face heavy fines if they continued to distribute or maintain the app.
As a result, Apple and Google removed the app from their app stores, a move that left millions of American users unable to download TikTok on new devices. However, the app continued to function on devices where it was already installed, although some users reported technical issues, such as problems with live streams and using the app's digital currency.
While the TikTok ban law received legal backing with the Supreme Court's approval, former President Trump signed an executive order delaying the enforcement of the law for 75 days. The order caused confusion among tech companies, which were uncertain whether they could return the app to their stores without risking a violation of the federal law.
Ultimately, after Apple and Google received letters from the U.S. Department of Justice assuring them that no fines would be imposed for restoring TikTok, they decided to return the app to their stores. However, legal uncertainty remains, especially in light of Trump’s statements that he might extend the enforcement delay beyond the 75 days.
The return of TikTok to the app stores raises significant legal and political questions. On one hand, the move gives American users renewed access to their favorite app. On the other hand, some argue that Trump placed his presidential power above the rule of law, and that this issue may evolve into a major constitutional crisis.
Among lawmakers and intelligence officials, there are long-standing concerns that ByteDance could transfer personal information of American users, such as geographical location and usage data, to the Chinese government. TikTok, however, insists that there is no evidence that this has ever occurred.
Meanwhile, the Trump administration promised to work on a deal that would allow TikTok to continue operating in the U.S., but it is unclear how this could be done within the existing law, which requires a full sale of the app to a non-Chinese entity. ByteDance, for its part, stated that it could not sell TikTok, as the algorithm that operates it is considered a strategic asset of China, which the Chinese government would not allow to be exported.
As of now, TikTok is fully operational in the United States, but its future remains uncertain. The possibility that Trump may continue delaying the implementation of the law casts doubt on the judiciary’s control over the executive branch’s decisions. This issue may still be brought up for further discussion in the Supreme Court, with political and geopolitical factors continuing to play a central role in future decisions.