TikTok Is Back in Business in the US

Less than 12 hours after it went offline in the US, TikTok is back online. The social media site credited its return to a move by President-Elect Donald Trump.

TikTok welcomed users back with the notification:

“Thanks for your patience and support. As a result of President Trump’s efforts, TikTok is back in the US!”

Last night, TikTok went offline in the US. The social media channel shutdown less than two hours before a ban was slated to go into effect. The move prevents access to one of the world’s most popular social media apps – one that had been used by 170 million Americans.

After TikTok went offline, visitors were met with a message: “Sorry, TikTok isn’t available right now. A law banning TikTok has been enacted in the US. Unfortunately, that means you can’t use TikTok for now.”

Back Sooner Rather Than Later

But even with the shutdown, optimists were confident the ban wouldn’t last long. TikTok itself suggested it could be back soon – perhaps as early as Monday.

“We are fortunate that President Trump has indicated that he will work with us on a solution to reinstate TikTok once he takes office,” the company posted in its pop-up message to users who opened the app beginning late Saturday night. “Please stay tuned!”

Turns out, the blackout was even more short-lived

President-elect Trump had said he would “most likely” delay a ban on TikTok for 90 days after he takes office on Monday, adding that he has not made a final decision in a phone interview with NBC News on Saturday.

TikTok, China, US Lawmakers & The Supreme Court

Last week, the US Supreme Court upheld a bipartisan law that aims to ban TikTok nationwide beginning on Sunday if the video-sharing app continues to be controlled by its Chinese parent company, ByteDance Ltd. If the site gets shutdown, it will most likely include a link directing users to ban information.

The Drama Surrounding TikTok Data

ByteDance was given until January 19 to sell the US assets of TikTok or face a US ban. Lawmakers are concerned the app poses national security risks. They fear that China could compel the company to share its US users’ data. TikTok denies that it has or ever would share US user data.

TikTok and its parent company ByteDance have sought to delay the law’s implementation. They say a ban violates the US Constitution’s First Amendment protection against government abridgment of free speech. Unless the US Supreme Court rules in favor of ByteDance, users attempting to open the app on Sunday will see a pop-up message directing them to a website with information about the shutdown.

As one might expect, TikTok fans are fuming about the potential ban—and the double standard. As one Reddit user posted:

“As far as I understand, the US Congress is trying to ban TikTok because they believe that a big Chinese-owned social media site/app is dangerous because the Chinese government might use it to spy on Americans and push propaganda to them,” wrote SpectrumDT. “I am not trying to be pro-China nor anti-China, but it is undeniable that the political relations between the USA and China are not great, and they are likely to get worse under the new Trump regime. Hence it is within the realm of reason for Americans to be wary of Chinese agendas. (Again, I do not mean to be anti-Chinese.)

“However, in my opinion, all the arguments I have heard about Chinese social media also apply to American social media. From my perspective as a European, the USA is a foreign power led by a dangerously unpredictable right-wing extremist. Elon Musk (who controls Twitter) is a close Trump-supporter, and as far as I can tell Mark Zuckerberg (who controls Facebook) also supports Trump. I don’t know about the owners of other major social media such as YouTube or Reddit, but I do not trust any of these people.”

For now, influencers such as Toni Bravo (@BoniTravo), Casey Malone (@CaseysHappyHealthy) and Angela Park (@AngelaYPark) insist their followers reside across multiple platforms. If TikTok goes away on Sunday, its audience will migrate to Instagram, Snapchat and other platforms.

Several Alternatives to TikTok

Ironically, the best alternatives to TikTok may be other Chinese import. According to Apple and Google data, RedNote (Xiaohongshu) is another China-based app that mirrors Instagram in look and feel. It is widely used in China to share tips on travel, makeup and fashion. Meanwhile, TikTok parent, ByteDance, finds an eager audience for its Lemon8 app. Users liken it to Pinterest. Of course, both platforms could face the same ban that TikTok faces.

But China isn’t the only place to find TikTok alternatives. Clapper is a short-form video platform that gained 1.4 million new users this month. Another video-based app, Flip, reported a surge in new users.

Some platforms are courting TikTok users. Orme, the social commerce platform that says it was built to empower beauty brands, describes itself as “the dedicated US-based short-form video app for the rapidly evolving world of social shopping, as the TikTok ban deadline looms. Beauty brands Bime
Beauty, Ideo, Masami and Shayde Beauty joined the platform.

“Social selling is a vital marketing strategy for beauty brands, which must now explore new ways
to diversify in preparation for sudden shifts in the social commerce landscape,” said Faisal
Ahmed, CEO of Orme. “These brands need a platform that delivers results without the
complexities and challenges tied to legacy social media apps. Orme’s user-first approach
empowers everyone in the ecosystem—from influencers and brands to everyday users—while
upholding the highest standards for data privacy and content quality.”

Of course, well-established platforms like Instagram and YouTube will benefit if TikTok runs out of time in the US.