Tiktok returned to Apple and Google’s U.S. app stores Thursday, Donald Trump delayed bans on Chinese social media apps and assured tech giants that they would not be distributing or maintaining it And fined.
Last month, the popular short video app used by nearly half of Americans required its Chinese owners to sell or face a ban on national security grounds, briefly last month.
The next day, President Trump signed an executive order trying to delay the implementation of the ban by 75 days, allowing Tiktok to temporarily continue its operations in the United States.
Although Tiktok resumed services after President Trump’s assurance, Google and Apple removed the app from their U.S. app stores.
Tiktok, the second largest downloaded app in the U.S. last year, said Thursday that its latest app can now be downloaded.
According to analysts, the delay could be because Google and Apple are waiting to ensure they will not be sued for hosting or distributing the app.
Trump’s instructions say these companies run mobile apps or digital markets where users can browse, download and update apps, but don’t face penalties for keeping Tiktok apps up and running.
Tiktok downloaded more than 52 million in 2024, according to market intelligence company Sensor Tower.
Sensor Tower said about 52% of its total downloads came from the Apple App Store, while 48% of Google Play last year came from Google Play in the U.S.
Then-President Joe Biden signed a law last April that demanded the sale of Tiktok’s U.S. assets or ultimately faced a ban, amid national security concerns and fears China might Use video sharing apps to monitor U.S. users.
The United States has never banned a major social media platform, and laws passed last year gave the government the power to ban or seek to sell other Chinese-owned apps.
Trump said Thursday that his 75-day deadline on Tiktok could be extended.
Tiktok’s turmoil has attracted several potential buyers, including former Los Angeles Dodgers boss Frank McCourt, who expressed interest in a fast-growing business, the value analysts estimated It could be as high as US$50 billion (approximately Rs 434,134,130 crore).
Trump said he is making Tiktok purchases with multiple people and may make a decision on the future of the app in February.
©Tech Word News
(This story has not been edited by Tech Word News’s staff and is automatically generated from the joint feed.)
