Brussels (Brussels Morning) – In a dramatic turn of events, TikTok went dark for millions of U.S. users on Saturday night, just hours before the official government ban was set to take effect. The outage, however, proved to be short-lived; by Sunday afternoon, the app was back online, following a whirlwind of political negotiations and public outcry.
On Saturday 18, 2025, TikTok officially went offline for its U.S. users. The enormously popular short-video platform, owned by the Chinese company ByteDance, has since 2020 become nothing less than a cultural phenomenon, hosting 170 million users in the U.S. and offering a platform to more than 7 million American businesses. However, growing concerns over national security and data privacy led to intense scrutiny of the platform, leading in a significant decision by the current U.S. administration.
More specifically, the Supreme Court had decided to issue a ban on the application on January 19th. However, the Biden administration, in its final days, announced it would not take steps to implement the law, deferring its enforcement to the incoming administration. Despite this delay, TikTok preemptively suspended its U.S. operations, leaving users with a stark message: “Sorry, TikTok isn’t available right now. A law banning TikTok has been enacted in the U.S. Unfortunately, that means you can’t use TikTok for now.”
What are the roots of the TikTok controversy?
The controversy surrounding TikTok really began in 2020 when then-President Donald Trump issued an executive order trying to ban the app due to concerns that user data could be accessed by the Chinese government. The order cited potential risks to national security, claiming that TikTok posed a threat to American users’ privacy. This order was received with significant backlash by the users, content creators, and civil rights advocates, who came forth arguing that such a ban was was against freedom of speech and the app had become part of American life. Despite a variety of legal challenges, the Trump administration never quite managed to ban TikTok, with federal courts issuing injunctions against the ban, citing First Amendment rights and a lack of hard evidence proving the app presented an imminent threat. Nevertheless, the Biden administration inherited the issue and ordered a more thorough investigation into how the app works and handles its data.
The Shift in Policy
In late 2022, the Biden administration initiated a fresh investigation of TikTok, focusing on its data collection practices and the potential for foreign influence. The Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS) played a pivotal role in reviewing how internally TikTok managed users’ data and whether such information could be forced out of it by the Chinese government under its national security laws.
Throughout the investigation, TikTok had been trying to reassure American users by announcing fresh measures it was taking to enhance data security. The company announced it had begun storing U.S. user data on domestic servers and opened a transparency center that independent observers could use to monitor its practices. But lawmakers were still suspicious.
The growing concerns finally compelled Congress to act. Bipartisan legislation was introduced in 2023 to address the larger issue of foreign-owned apps and their perceived national security risks. The legislation sought to establish a framework for evaluating and regulating foreign technology companies operating in the U.S.
The Ban and Its Fallout
After months of deliberation, on January 10, 2025, the Biden administration announced its decision to ban TikTok in the United States. The ban was framed as a necessary measure to protect American users and safeguard national security. It is also important to note that this law prevents American companies from producing content for the platform unless TikTok sells itself to a buyer from the United States or a U.S.-approved entity.
Immediately, users and content creators lashed out against the ban-the same people who had earned a livelihood through this app or even received community there. Influential TikTokkers went online, voicing their disappointment for the ban of the app and seeking its reinstatement.
Additionally, this announcement resulted in many users choosing to migrate to other platforms such as Rednote (Xiaohongshu), one of China’s most popular social media apps, as an act of defiance. Overnight, Rednote took off and became the most downloaded app in the U.S. App Store.
A 15-hour break or delaying the inevitable?
Before the ban took place, President-elect Donald Trump signalled his intent to delay this decision for next 90 days in order to re-assess the situation. As a response, TikTok CEO, Shou Zi Chew, responded with a conciliatory message, expressing gratitude for Trump’s willingness to negotiate. “I want to thank President Trump for his commitment to work with us in order to find a solution that keeps TikTok available in the United States” he stated.
To the surprise of many, TikTok’s blackout proved short-lived. By Sunday afternoon, the app was back up and running, accompanied by a new message to users: “Thanks for your patience and support. As a result of President Trump’s efforts, TikTok is back in the U.S.!”
This messaging very quickly elicited a response. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, a U.S. representative for New York’s 14th congressional district and a member of the Democratic Party, criticized the decision, suggesting that TikTok’s survival may come at the cost of impartiality. “Every mass social media platform has been taken over by the right wing,” she remarked in a TikTok video, hinting at potential algorithmic changes to favour political agendas.
President-elect Trump, on the other hand, celebrated the app’s return on his Truth Social platform, reiterating his vision for U.S. ownership of TikTok: “I’m asking companies not to let TikTok stay dark! I will issue an executive order on Monday to extend the period of time before the law’s prohibitions take effect, so that we can make a deal to protect our national security. The order will also confirm that there will be no liability for any company that helped keep TikTok from going dark before my order.
Americans deserve to see our exciting Inauguration on Monday, as well as other events and conversations.
I would like the United States to have a 50% ownership position in a joint venture. By doing this, we save TikTok, keep it in good hands and allow it to stay up. Without U.S. approval, there is no Tik Tok. With our approval, it is worth hundreds of billions of dollars – maybe trillions.
Therefore, my initial thought is a joint venture between the current owners and/or new owners whereby the U.S. gets a 50% ownership in a joint venture set up between the U.S. and whichever purchase we so choose.”
