As of January 20, 2025, TikTok’s status in the United States has undergone significant developments. On January 19, the app was temporarily shut down, affecting approximately 170 million U.S. users, following the enforcement of a law requiring its Chinese parent company, ByteDance, to divest its U.S. operations by that date. This action was driven by national security concerns over data privacy and potential influence by the Chinese government.
However, shortly after the shutdown, President-elect Donald Trump announced plans to issue an executive order delaying the ban to allow for negotiations on a security deal. He proposed a joint venture in which the U.S. would hold a 50% ownership stake in TikTok. Following this announcement, ByteDance began restoring services, and some users regained access to the app.
Despite the restoration of services, TikTok remains unavailable in major app stores, preventing new downloads and updates. The future of the app in the U.S. hinges on ongoing negotiations and potential legal developments, as the situation continues to evolve.