Apple and Google have restored TikTok to their U.S. app stores after the Chinese-owned video platform was banned due to a new law signed by President Biden. The law required TikTok’s parent company, ByteDance, to sell the app to a non-Chinese owner by January 19, raising concerns about national security. President Trump’s executive order asking for the law to be paused led to confusion among tech companies, with Apple and Google initially keeping TikTok out of their app stores.
The return of TikTok to the app stores has sparked debate over whether the executive branch is prioritizing executive power over the rule of law. Some experts warn that a constitutional crisis may arise if the law is not enforced, as the Supreme Court unanimously upheld it.
The concerns over TikTok have centered on the potential for sensitive U.S. user data to be shared with Beijing and the risk of misinformation dissemination. TikTok has refuted these claims, stating there is no evidence of such activities occurring in the U.S.
Despite being largely unaffected by the ban on American phones that already had the app, some TikTok creators reported glitches that were believed to be connected to the app’s absence from app stores.
President Trump has expressed interest in saving TikTok and facilitating a deal that would allow the app to operate in the U.S. However, ByteDance has maintained that it cannot sell the app due to restrictions imposed by the Chinese government.
TikTok executives have indicated optimism that Apple and Google would reinstate the app, alleviating concerns about potential long-term issues. The decision to restore TikTok to the app stores marks a key development in the ongoing dispute over the popular platform’s operations in the U.S.
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