TikTok Has Dodged the U.S. Ban – For Now. But the Clock Is Ticking.

Marked as a national security threat, TikTok was banned by a Supreme Court ruling, shut down and relaunched all in the span of a week. President Trump bought the app a few more months, but its future remains uncertain.

Written by Jenny Lyons-Cunha
TikTok on a phone screen in front of an American flag.
Image: Algi Febri Sugita / Shutterstock
UPDATED BY
Ellen Glover | Feb 18, 2025

Disbelief, panic, heartbreak — emotions ran high in the aftermath of a January 17th U.S. Supreme Court ruling, which authorized the federal government to shut down TikTok, a prolific, short-form video app. “It’s like losing a relative,” one content creator said in the hours leading up to TikTok’s shutdown on January 19. 

Content creators weren’t alone in their dismay: TikTok is used by roughly half of Americans, adding up to some 170 million users. But its ties to China have made it a target for lawmakers, who have been working to ban the app from the United States for years. 

But the heartbreak was delayed, if not avoided entirely, thanks to one of President Donald Trump’s first executive orders, which delayed the ban for 75 days. Despite the Supreme Court’s ruling, the uber-popular app has remained online, excluding its 12-hour shutdown in the wee hours of January 19. 

What Is The TikTok Ban? 

The TikTok ban is a U.S. government action that prohibits the app due to national security concerns over its Chinese parent company, ByteDance. The ban, officially known as the Protecting Americans from Foreign Adversary Controlled Applications Act, 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 a 75-day delay ordered by President Donald Trump. 

Since its launch in 2017, TikTok has become a social media phenomenon, captivating billions with its bite-sized videos, viral trends and addictive algorithm. However, concerns over national security, data privacy and foreign influence have placed TikTok in the crosshairs of governments around the world. Australia, the European Union and the United Kingdom have banned government employees from downloading the app, as has the United States, where discussions about banning TikTok nationwide are reaching a fever pitch. 

This latest ban has raised questions about the platform’s future, the dangers of surveillance and its impact on free expression to the forefront of public discourse. TikTok users, especially content creators, are caught in the whiplash of back-and-forth legal battles, and many are bracing for a deeply uncertain future. 

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What Is the TikTok Ban?

In early 2025, the U.S. Supreme Court upheld the Protecting Americans from Foreign Adversary Controlled Applications Act (PAFACA), colloquially known as “the TikTok ban.” Introduced to Congress in early 2024, The PAFACA is a federal law that mandated ByteDance, TikTok’s Chinese parent company, to divest its U.S. operations or face a nationwide ban. The Court’s decision validated growing national security concerns regarding data collection practices and potential foreign influence. 

“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.”

Though TikTok challenged the law — arguing that it violated the First Amendment by restricting free speech — the Justices concluded that PAFACA was content-neutral and tailored to serve national security. The per curiam opinion also included a quote from Justice Frankfurter in 1944: “In considering the application of established legal rules to the ‘totally new problems’ raised by the airplane and radio, we should take care not to ‘embarrass the future.’”

The quote points to the court’s attempt to limit the scope of their narrow ruling, but some experts argue that the TikTok ban could have broader effects on tech law, online speech and the integrity of the internet itself. Some are concerned that the ban sets a precedent for social media regulation 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!”

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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 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 Does TikTok Have to Do to Keep From Being Banned?

To avoid being permanently banned, ByteDance must divest its U.S. operations by selling ​​— or partially selling —TikTok to an American company. TikTok’s U.S. assets are estimated to be worth more than $50 billion, not including its proprietary algorithm. From Elon Musk to MrBeast, several wealthy individuals have expressed an interest in buying TikTok. AI search engine Perplexity AI and real estate mogul Frank McCourt have reportedly submitted bids to acquire the app.

Still, such a sale will likely be complicated, and the Chinese government will have to approve, which will likely take longer than the 75 days provided by Trump’s executive order. Experts argue that additional extensions by Congress or a full repeal of the law will be necessary to save TikTok from a permanent ban.

 

Will TikTok Go Away Forever?

President Trump’s January 20 order is a temporary reprieve for the embattled app. If its American assets fail to receive additional legal protection or be sold by April 5, 2025, the app may be banned in the United States for the foreseeable future.

In the meantime, users who still have TikTok on their phones may experience degradation in service, as they no longer have access to updates.

 

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. 

Instagram

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.

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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. 

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.

 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.

2020: In January, the Pentagon bans TikTok from all military phones. Later that year,, President Trump says he is considering a TikTok ban as retribution for China’s alleged hand in the Covid-19 pandemic. 

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. 

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

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 announces “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. 

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 attends 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. 

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. 

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. 

2024: After meeting TikTok stakeholder and Republican mega-donor Jeff Yass at an event, Trump reverses his opinions about banning the app. That summer, Trump and Kamala Harris join the app to amplify their presidential campaigns. 

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.

2025: 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. 

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. By January 20, 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.

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.

 

Frequently Asked Questions

Under legislative action and executive pressure, the U.S. government enforced the ban on TikTok due to national security concerns.

 

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.

No if TikTok gets banned permanently you will not be able to use it, as it will be removed from the app stores and inaccessble to users in the United States. There’s a chance you could access TikTok through a VPN that makes it look as if you are in a different location, but this is not guaranteed to work.

 

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