On January 22, 2026, the newly formed TikTok USDS Joint Venture LLC took control of TikTok’s U.S. platform after securing approval from ByteDance, TikTok’s parent company. TikTok USDS comprises Oracle and managing investors Silver Lake and MGX.
Why Was TikTok Banned?
The TikTok ban was a U.S. government action that sought to prohibit the app due to national security concerns over its Chinese parent company, ByteDance. Officially known as the Protecting Americans from Foreign Adversary Controlled Applications Act, the ban was enforced in January 2025 amid long-time fears that the Chinese government could access user data. This decision has led to several legal battles, resulting in four separate delays ordered by President Donald Trump. However, the ban appears to have been resolved, as TikTok signed the Trump-backed deal to give U.S. operations to a majority American investor group led by Oracle.
Together, the new entity manages U.S. user data and changes to TikTok’s infamously addictive algorithm, which it leases from ByteDance. After years of delays and failed negotiations, the Trump administration’s deal will indefinitely keep TikTok operational in the United States.
What Was the TikTok Ban?
In early 2025, the U.S. Supreme Court upheld the Protecting Americans from Foreign Adversary Controlled Applications Act (PAFACA), commonly known as “the TikTok ban.” Introduced to Congress in early 2024, this federal law required ByteDance, TikTok’s Chinese parent company, to sell its U.S. operations or face a nationwide ban. The Court’s decision reinforced growing concerns about national security, particularly regarding TikTok’s data collection practices and ties to China.
“There is no doubt that, for more than 170 million Americans, TikTok offers a distinctive and expansive outlet for expression, means of engagement and source of community,” the court wrote. “But Congress has determined that divestiture is necessary to address its well-supported national security concerns regarding TikTok’s data collection practices and relationship with a foreign adversary.”
Since its launch in 2017, TikTok has become a social media phenomenon, captivating billions with its bite-sized videos, viral trends and addictive algorithm. But concerns over national security, data privacy and foreign influence have placed the app in the crosshairs of governments around the world. Australia, the European Union and the United Kingdom have restricted government employees from downloading the app, as has the United States.
Now, the U.S. government may soon prohibit the app for all Americans. Some experts warn such a move could have wider implications for tech regulation, online speech and the overall integrity of the internet down the road. Others are concerned that the ban could set a troubling precedent for overregulating social media under the guise of national security.
Why Was TikTok Banned?
The driving force behind the TikTok ban is concern over its China-based parent company ByteDance’s ability and willingness to share user data with the Chinese government and Chinese Communist Party. While the suspicion surrounding TikTok sounds like the plot of a twisty spy thriller, the threat is real, according to American intelligence agencies.
Indeed, the Chinese government can access sensitive user data — including contact and location information — and compels companies to share it by law under its 2017 National Intelligence Law. According to the Justice Department, TikTok’s algorithm is manipulated by the Chinese government “for its own malign purposes.” According to the Justice Department. But CEO Shou Zi Chew has told Congress that TikTok has no Communist ties and is based in the United States.
While it’s true that TikTok LLC is incorporated in Delaware and headquartered in Los Angeles, the LLC is controlled by TikTok Ltd., which is incorporated in the Cayman Islands and based in Shanghai. Both TikTok LLC and TikTok Ltd. are owned by Byte Dance Ltd, which is located in Beijing.
ByteDance’s multi-layered, privately owned corporate structure is deeply entrenched with some of China’s most prominent government entities. Studies from the Network Contagion Research Institute at Rutgers University found evidence that TikTok uses “covert content manipulation” to suppress anti-Chinese sentiments and ultimately “indoctrinate” Gen-Z users in the United States.
When Did the TikTok Ban Go Into Effect?
The TikTok ban went into effect at midnight on January 19, 2025, when users were greeted with this 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. We are fortunate that President Trump has indicated that he will work with us on a solution to reinstate TikTok once he takes office. Please stay tuned!”
Since then, the app has come back online in the United States, and continues to be operable in the country thanks to a series of last-minute deadline extensions granted by Trump.
Why Could You Still Use TikTok After It Was Banned?
After managing to elude a ban for several years, the January 17 Supreme Court ruling felt final. So, why is TikTok back online? The answer is: Donald Trump.
The justices set the ban to go into effect on January 19, and it was enacted as planned, shutting down a few hours before January 19. But just 12 hours later, the app flickered back to life and welcomed users with a message, citing Trump’s first 75-day court stay: “Thanks for your patience and support. As a result of President Trump’s efforts, TikTok is back in the U.S.!”.
Though the law requires TikTok’s parent company, ByteDance, to sell the app to non-Chinese owners, President Trump’s executive order staves off any penalties for a couple of months. The ban shields the app’s business partners and gives ByteDance more time to make a sale that would uphold the law.
Google and Apple removed TikTok and other ByteDance-owned apps like Lemon8 and CapCut from their respective stores, so users who preemptively deleted TikTok could not redownload the video-sharing app, causing a frenzy for TikTok-loaded phones, which have sold for thousands of dollars on sites like eBay. Google and Apple have since reinstated the app on their respective stores.
What Are Some Popular TikTok Alternatives?
In the wake of TikTok’s brief shutdown and uncertain future, users are exploring alternative apps.
RedNote
Also known as Xiaohongshu, or “Little Red Book,” China-based RedNote has gained traction as a TikTok alternative, particularly among users who enjoy a mix of short-form video and social commerce. Amid the TikTok shutdown, RedNote launched a feature allowing users to translate posts and comments between English and Mandarin and became the most-downloaded app for several days. More than 30 million posts have included the hashtag “#tiktokrefugee.” Ironically, the app places U.S. users in direct contact with Chinese users, who don’t have access to TikTok.
Owned by Meta, Instagram is a natural alternative to TikTok. Many TikTok users already cross-post to Instagram due to its Reels feature, which offers short-form, vertical video content similar to TikTok. With an established user base and a strong influencer ecosystem, Instagram provides creators with multiple content formats, including Stories, IGTV and traditional photo posts. Additionally, its integration with Facebook’s advertising and monetization tools offers creators more ways to earn revenue than TikTok.
YouTube
Google-owned YouTube has been a dominant video platform for decades. Its YouTube Shorts feature was introduced as a direct competitor to TikTok. Unlike TikTok, YouTube benefits from a more robust monetization system, where creators can earn revenue through ad partnerships, memberships and long-form content. YouTube also offers greater longevity for content, as videos remain searchable and relevant long after their initial upload.
Bluesky
Bluesky is more commonly known as an alternative to X (formerly Twitter), but it may also be a good substitute for TikTok for users who value free speech, algorithmic transparency, and user control. Unlike TikTok, which operates under a centralized algorithm even its developers don’t fully understand, Bluesky is built on an open source, federated model, giving users more control over their feed and content moderation. While it currently focuses more on text-based interactions, BlueSky is reportedly launching vertical feeds that resemble TikTok’s.
Other Companies Affected by the TikTok Ban
While ByteDance was the only company explicitly targeted by PAFACA, the ruling has far-reaching implications for other companies.
Small Businesses
If TikTok is permanently banned, individual content creators and small businesses could lose their livelihoods. Tiktok’s CEO has said that 7 million American businesses rely on the app, and a study commissioned by the company found that TikTok created more than 200,000 jobs, contributing more than $24 billion to the U.S. economy.
Apple and Google
Companies who sell TikTok through their platforms could be fined up to $5,000 per TikTok user per day if they were to continue hosting the app once the court stay has ended. With a five-year statute of limitations, whoever replaces Trump as president could enforce violations. As a result, Apple and Google have removed all ByteDance apps from its store, opting out of any future TikTok profits.
Microsoft and Oracle
TikTok is one of Microsoft’s biggest AI cloud computing customers, accounting for nearly 25 percent of its revenue. So Microsoft will likely suffer significant losses if TikTok is permanently banned. Oracle also provides cloud services to TikTok, and could experience notable losses as well.
Amazon
Amazon’s partnership with TikTok enables users to buy products from Amazon via ads without leaving the platform, placing it directly in the crosshairs of the ban. Should the e-commerce company continue its partnership, it could face fines, but severing ties would certainly result in a profit loss.
DeepSeek
DeepSeek, a Chinese competitor to ChatGPT, upended the U.S. stock market when it revealed its advanced capabilities — even dethroning OpenAI’s chatbot on the Apple App Store. Despite the company’s stunning promises of efficiency and openness, there’s a chance its country of origin could cause it to go the way of TikTok in the United States.
A Brief History of TikTok, Leading Up to Its Ban
TikTok’s brief but eventful history may provide some context for its banning.
U.S. Investors Take Control of American TikTok Platform (January 2026)
After a six-year back-and-forth between U.S. lawmakers, ByteDance executives and Chinese regulators, the United States has taken control of a U.S. version of TikTok. As part of the deal, the USDS Joint Venture LLC, consisting of Oracle and investors Silver Lake and MGX, created and will manage U.S. user data and changes to the content recommendation algorithm leased from ByteDance. The deal also indefinitely secures TikTok’s availability to over 200 million users in the United States.
TikTok Signs Deal to Give Control of U.S. Operations to Oracle-Led Investor Group (December 2025)
TikTok parent company ByteDance signs a definitive agreement to transfer its U.S. operations to a new entity controlled by an Oracle-led investor group, a move that effectively resolves years of national security concerns. The deal, which includes major participation from American investors, states that 45 percent of the U.S. TikTok entity will be controlled by Oracle, Silver Lake and MGX. It also ensures that U.S. user data will be stored on domestic servers and overseen by a board of directors approved by the federal government.
This arrangement aims to satisfy the U.S. government’s long-standing demands for divestiture, effectively removing the threat of a nationwide ban and securing the platform’s future for its millions of American users.
Trump Signs Executive Order Approving a 'Qualified Divestiture' (September 2025)
President Trump signed an executive order approving a deal to shift TikTok’s U.S. operations over to an American-led ownership group, leaving ByteDance with less than a 20 percent stake. TikTok’s algorithm will also be copied and retrained exclusively on U.S. user data to create a new American version. All U.S. user data will be stored and managed by an American cloud provider (likely Oracle), preventing ByteDance from accessing this information entirely
The deal cannot go forward without the approval of both the Chinese government and ByteDance’s board of directors — neither of whom have publicly commented on the matter. However, Trump claims Chinese President Xi Jinping gave the green light during a “very productive” phone call on September 19.
U.S. and China Agree on ‘Framework’ for TikTok Sale (September 2025)
With President Trump’s latest self-imposed deadline of September 17 looming, the administration reportedly reached a deal with China that will keep TikTok operational in the United States. Specifics on the deal have not been publicly disclosed yet, but Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said the two sides have settled on a “framework” to divest TikTok from its Chinese owner, ByteDance, describing it as an agreement between “two private parties” that would place the social media app under U.S. control. Trump and Chinese leader Xi Jinping are expected to finalize the arrangement on September 19.
White House Joins TikTok (August 2025)
Despite having no solid resolution for the TikTok ban, the White House joined the popular social app and began posting. The account’s earliest short-form videos feature President Trump and other staff members answering questions from the press and threatening lawsuits.
Third TikTok Extension (June 2025)
Trump signed a third executive order June 19, delaying the ban an additional 90 days. The new deadline for the deal is now September 17, 2025.
Second TikTok Extension (April 2025)
Trump signed a second executive order on April 5, delaying the ban an additional 75 days. The new deadline for the deal is now June 19, 2025.
TikTok App Restored on Mobile (February 2025)
Apple and Google restore TikTok on their app stores after reportedly receiving letters from the Justice Department assuring them they would not face fines for carrying the app.
TikTok Service is Restored in United States (January 2025)
TikTok is back online, with Trump stating on Truth Social that he would support the app before signing an executive order delaying its ban on his first day in office. Trump signs an EO hours after his inauguration on January 20, delaying the ban 75 days.
TikTok Goes Offline for U.S. Users (January 2025)
By the evening of January 18, many American users lose access to TikTok, and the app goes dark in the early hours of January 19. The app is also removed from both Apple and Google’s app stores.
Trump Requests Delay From Supreme Court (December 2024)
Though President-elect Donald Trump files a brief requesting that the Supreme Court delay its ruling on the ban, the justices hear the case on January 10. TikTok’s lawyer does not deny potential national security risks, and the court unanimously upholds the law, with a ban set to go into effect on January 19.
Federal Court Upholds Ban (December 2024)
In December, the federal appeals court unanimously upholds the TikTok ban, despite the company’s arguments that the First Amendment would be violated if the law were passed.
Trump Flip Flops on TikTok (May 2024)
After meeting TikTok stakeholder and Republican mega-donor Jeff Yass at an event, presidential candidate Donald Trump reversed his opinions about banning the app. That summer, Trump and Kamala Harris joined the app to amplify their presidential campaigns.
Senate Passes Legislation Banning TikTok in the U.S. (April 2024)
TikTok is likened to a “spy balloon in Americans’ phones” by the House of Representatives, and the ban-or-sell bill is passed. Just one month later, the Senate confirms the bill and President Biden promptly signs it. In May, Bytedance sues to block the law.
Congress Introduces Bipartisan Bill Banning TikTok (March 2024)
A bipartisan bill to ban TikTok or force its divestiture emerges in Congress. TikTok attempts to stop the bill by bringing creators to Washington to speak on its merits. Around this time, the app sends notifications encouraging users to speak up — resulting in an inundation of calls to congressional offices.
White House Bans TikTok From Government Devices (February 2023)
The White House bans TikTok from all government-issued mobile devices as dissent over the app’s threat to security and unchecked harassment grows. In March, TikTok CEO Shou Zi Chew attended a six-hour congressional hearing, denying ByteDance’s ties to the Chinese government and Communist Party. Montana attempts (and ultimately fails) to ban the app.
TikTok Controversies Continue to Grow in U.S. (June 2022)
TikTok is now the most downloaded app in the world. Reports come out claiming ByteDance has access to the private information of TikTok users — multiple employees are fired for tracking journalists related to the reports. Not long after, TikTok announced “Project Texas,” migrating user data to Oracle-managed servers in the United States. But FBI Director Christopher Wray warns that organs of the Chinese government could manipulate the app’s algorithms.
TikTok’s Legal Cases Are Absolved (October 2021)
Joe Biden is elected president, and Trump’s executive orders are eventually nixed, along with all the legal cases involving TikTok bans. By the fall, TikTok claims to have more than a billion monthly users globally. Soon after, reports emerge about the potential harms of the app, including content glamorizing eating disorders.
Trump Administration Issues Order Restricting U.S. Companies From Interacting with ByteDance (August 2020)
Trump issues an executive order that bars U.S. companies from interacting with ByteDance, and a second demanding that ByteDance divest itself of TikTok’s U.S. operations within 90 days — citing the International Emergency Economic Powers Act as the legal framework for both. In the following months, deals fall through with Microsoft, Oracle and Walmart, and TikTok sues the Trump administration for lack of due process.
TikTok Grows and Faces Controversies (2019)
Not long after settling U.S. child-privacy charges and paying more than $5 million in fines, TikTok is accused of suppressing images of the Hong Kong protests. Reports emerge detailing the censorship of the 1989 Tiananmen Square protests, Tibetan independence and other sensitive topics. Meanwhile, TikTok reaches new heights, becoming the second-most downloaded app in the world by some metrics.
TikTok Enters U.S. Market (2017)
Allegedly born from a failed real-estate venture, ByteDance enters the American scene after merging TikTok with its competitor, Musical.ly. Its hyper-addictive algorithm and digestible platform encourage users to share dance videos, recipes and various “challenges,” but politicians are quick to note the app’s potential as a national security threat.
Frequently Asked Questions
When is TikTok getting banned?
Unless it manages to secure an American buyer, TikTok will be banned in the United States starting January 23, 2026.
Who banned TikTok?
Under legislative action and executive pressure, the U.S. government enforced the ban on TikTok due to national security concerns.
When was TikTok banned?
TikTok was officially banned from U.S. app stores in January 2025. Apple and Google have since restored the app on their own stores, so it is currently still available for download.
Can you still use TikTok if it gets banned?
No — if TikTok gets banned permanently you will not be able to use it, as it will be removed from the app stores and inaccessible to users in the United States.
