Following a short-lived ban last month, the popular social media platform TikTok is once again available for download on both the Apple App Store and Google Play Store. The app had been temporarily removed on January 18th due to a ban implemented in the United States.
Illustration of the TikTok app logo, August 22, 2022. (Dado Ruvic/Reuters, FILE)
During the brief period of unavailability, users attempting to access TikTok were met with a message stating the app's current inaccessibility due to the U.S. ban. The message also expressed optimism about a resolution, mentioning then-President Trump's willingness to collaborate on a solution for reinstatement.
A screenshot of the notification appearing in the TikTok app upon its return online in the U.S., January 19, 2025. (ABC News)
However, TikTok's functionality was restored later that same day. The reinstatement was attributed to support from President Trump, who issued an executive order shortly after his inauguration suspending enforcement of the ban that had been enacted the previous day.
