TikTok Returns to US Apple and Google App Stores
By Movieguide® Contributor
Americans can download TikTok from the Apple App store and Google Play following a tumultuous few weeks.
Shortly before President Donald Trump took office, TikTok went dark in the United States for a few hours on Sunday, Jan. 19.
But by that afternoon, Trump cut a deal with the platform, restoring use that day. Soon after he was sworn in on Monday, Jan. 20, he signed an executive order that didn’t overturn the ban but rather told “the US attorney general not to enforce the law for now,” according to the BBC.
READ MORE: TIKTOK MAKES A FINAL EFFORT TO AVOID U.S. BAN
“The unfortunate timing of section 2(a) of the Act — one day before I took office as the 47th President of the United States — interferes with my ability to assess the national security and foreign policy implications of the Act’s prohibitions before they take effect,” Trump’s executive order reads. “This timing also interferes with my ability to negotiate a resolution to avoid an abrupt shutdown of the TikTok platform while addressing national security concerns.”
He explained that the Attorney General will not take “any action” to enforce the ban for a 75 day period to “allow my Administration an opportunity to determine the appropriate course forward in an orderly way that protects national security while avoiding an abrupt shutdown of a communications platform used by millions of Americans.”
On Thursday, newly confirmed AG Pam Bondi assured Apple and Google in a letter that that the Trump administration will not fine the platforms for supporting the app. Now, almost a month after the ban, Americans can download TikTok again via the Apple App store and Google Play, AP News reported.
This move from Trump does not mean the app won’t still be banned. It just means he’s extended its timetable to allow more time to investigate the situation.
READ MORE: THIS YOUTUBE STAR MAY BE TIKTOK’S NEW OWNER
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