TIKTOK RETURNS TO MAJOR AMERICAN APP STORES – Trump delayed the enforcement of the ban on the social media platform until April 5
TikTok has returned to Apple and Google’s U.S. app stores after President Donald Trump postponed a ban on the Chinese-owned social media platform.
The app, used by nearly half of Americans, was briefly unavailable last month before a law took effect on January 19, requiring its parent company, ByteDance, to sell the platform over national security concerns or face a ban. However, Trump signed an executive order delaying enforcement by 75 days, allowing TikTok to continue operating in the U.S. temporarily.
While TikTok resumed service following Trump’s assurances, Apple and Google had initially kept it off their U.S. app stores. Analysts suggest the delay may have been due to concerns about potential legal penalties for distributing the app.
Trump’s directive confirmed that companies running digital marketplaces, including Apple and Google, would not face consequences for hosting or maintaining TikTok. The app, which was the second most downloaded in the U.S. last year, is now available for users to download again.
