TikTok has returned to the Apple and Google Play stores after being banned last month, following a decision by TikTok’s management to temporarily suspend its services in the United States just one day before the ban law took effect, according to CNBC.
Apple, Google, and Oracle were at risk of facing severe penalties for violating the Protecting Americans from Foreign-Controlled Applications Act, a law signed by former President Joe Biden in April last year. This law requires ByteDance, the Chinese parent company of TikTok, to sell its U.S. assets by January 19 or face a complete ban in the country.
TikTok’s management argued that the law violates the First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution, which protects freedom of speech, stating that the ban would impact more than 170 million American users. Meanwhile, the U.S. government insisted that ByteDance’s ownership and its alleged ties to China pose a national security threat.
The Supreme Court sided with the Biden administration, stating that Congress determined that forcing ByteDance to divest its ownership was necessary to address security concerns regarding TikTok’s data collection practices and its connection to a foreign adversary.
On the other hand, TikTok opposed the Supreme Court’s decision and threatened to halt its operations in the U.S. unless the Biden administration intervened. However, after taking office, President Donald Trump issued an order delaying the ban for 75 days, allowing TikTok to continue operating in the country despite being unavailable in app stores.
Trump stated that he wanted the U.S. to own a 50% stake in a joint venture to keep TikTok under secure management and ensure its continued operation in the U.S.
Notably, TikTok has regained approximately 90% of its traffic compared to pre-ban levels, despite being removed from app stores for nearly a month, according to Cloudflare Radar data.
