When TikTok went down for 12 hours: What happened?

On Sunday, January 19, 170 million American users were left in suspense after TikTok decided to stop offering service in the United States. The reason was a new federal law aimed specifically at the company and its links with China.

So if it was banned, why are people back on TikTok today?

The social media platform became unavailable on Sunday through its own initiative; both in the app and in the Apple and Google app stores. The reason was the Supreme Court's approval of a law that forced the app to disassociate itself from its Chinese parent company ByteDance, on Friday, January 17. If it didn't, it would face a ban in the country or hefty fines.

Then, on the same day, TikTok announced that it was in the process of restoring its services in the United States. This turnaround was due to something the incoming president Donald Trump had said.

TikTok's reinstatement came after President-elect Donald Trump - who took office on the next day, Monday, January 20 - announced that he would suspend the law that prohibits the platform in the U.S.

Although the law against TikTok was approved by Congress in 2024, Trump said he would issue an executive order that allows it to continue operating in the country.

It's interesting that Trump of all people would give a Chinese-led platform such leeway in the United States, because he has also announced that he would make a stand against the import and influence of Chinese culture and products in his country, for example by imposing tariffs.

According to media outlets such as El Mundo and Reforma, the federal law responded to concerns about U.S. national security. The government feared that ByteDance would access user data and use it for espionage and/or manipulation purposes.

The legislation, passed in April 2024, gave ByteDance nine months to sell its US operations to a buyer that was not considered an "adversary" to the country and stated that it would otherwise be banned on January 19 on national security grounds.

Failure to comply with the rule carried significant financial penalties, with companies that continued to support TikTok facing fines of up to $5,000 per user, which could translate into billions of dollars.

In response to these arguments, the social media platform assured that it had taken measures to protect the privacy of its users. TikTok denies that its platform can be used by Beijing as a propaganda tool.

After getting back online, the platform stated: "We thank President Trump for providing the necessary clarity and assurance to our service providers that they will face no penalties providing TikTok to over 170 million Americans and allowing over 7 million small businesses to thrive."

Photo: TikTok Policy / X, TikTok

They also called his decision "a strong stand for the First Amendment and against arbitrary censorship. We will work with President Trump on a long-term solution that keeps TikTok in the United States."

On Sunday, users of the social media were sharing screenshots on X, Instagram, and/or Facebook, in which the message about the suspension of the service could be read; then, after the official statement of the platform, the TikTokers showed that the application was operational again and allowed viewing of the usual content. So it was just a little break.

Another app affected by the ban was CapCut, a popular video editor owned by ByteDance and used by creators to generate content on TikTok.

It is worth noting that Joe Biden was actually not tough on TikTok either. After the Supreme Court's ruling on Friday, the White House announced that the current Federal Executive would not apply the law and that its enforcement would be left to the new President, Donald Trump.

On Saturday, Trump said in a telephone interview with NBC that he would "probably" grant TikTok a 90-day extension to avoid being banned in the country.

"I think that would be, certainly, an option that we look at. The 90-day extension is something that will be most likely done, because it's appropriate. You know, it's appropriate. We have to look at it carefully. It's a very big situation," Trump said.

The 90-day extension would give ByteDance time to sell the platform to a non-Chinese buyer. Such an extension was allowed by a bipartisan law in 2024, but only under specific conditions, El Mundo reported.

If Trump decides to ban TikTok after the 90 days are over, this federal law marks the first time in history that the United States has banned social media at a national level.

TikTok in itself appears rather innocent. Its 170 million users in the United States mostly play short videos on it. They contain jokes, challenges, dances, and music.

Users of TikTok can create, share, and discover videos with background music, special effects, and filters. It is very dynamic and creative: people can show off their talents, take on viral challenges, learn new things, and entertain themselves. Businesses can promote their products, and some talented artists even become famous through viral TikTok performances.

So let's wait and see if they still can do so in 90 days...

Follow Showbizz Daily to stay informed and enjoy more content!