TRANSCRIPT
“As of today, TikTok is back.”
That's right... after TikTok went dark for just 14 hours in the United States in anticipation of a federal ban, the social media platform is back online courtesy of incoming-President Donald Trump.
TikTok had temporarily ceased operations for its 170 million US users ahead of a new law taking effect on Sunday that banned the app on national security grounds.
But Mr Trump, who once attempted to ban the platform himself in 2020 if Chinese tech company ByteDance didn't divest ownership, has now offered the platform a lifeline in the U-S.
TikTok services were restored after the President-elect announced he would issue an executive order delaying the implementation of a new law that would ban the platform unless ByteDance transfers ownership to an American party.
US-based TikTokers like this make-up artist took to the platform to express their excitement at having the app back.
“Woah Woah guys, we are back. We are up and running. I went to see if I could go into my other accounts with the VPN, and i didn't need a VPN. and just to check, I went on my man's phone, and he was able to get into Tiktok just fine. I don't know what's going on, but apparently we can use it again. So if you guys want to go follow me on my pages, go ahead.”
Mr Trump told NBC that the extension will likely last 90 days and will give him an opportunity to negotiate a new deal with the platform's owners.
TikTok's CEO, Shou Zi Chew, has thanked Donald Trump for intervening.
“On behalf of everyone at TikTok and all our users across the country. I want to thank President Trump for his commitment to work with us, to find a solution that keeps TikTok available in the United States. This is a strong stand for the First Amendment and against arbitrary censorship.”
Mr Trump has broken with both Democrats and his Republican colleagues who overwhelmingly voted in support of the law and celebrated its approaching deadline.
The politicians had warned of the Chinese government's influence over its tech sector and said that, under Chinese parent company ByteDance, there was a risk of American citizens' data being misused.
But President-elect Trump, never one to be swayed by the political status quo, told his pre-inauguration rally that he likes TikTok because he believes it helped him win in the November election.
“I went on TikTok. Can you believe what I'll do to win an election? And Republicans have never won the young vote. The youth vote, they win a lot of votes, but they never won the youth vote. We won the youth vote by 36 points. So I like TikTok, I like it.”
Exit poll data from CNN shows that the incoming president did not in fact win the youth vote - especially by such significant a margin - with Vice President Kamala Harris winning the majority of voters in the 18 to 24, 25 to 29, and 30 to 39 age ranges.
And now Mr Trump's Republicans are playing catch up with his TikTok policy, with House speaker Mike Johnson defending the move on NBC.
“No, I think we will enforce the law. And when President Trump issued the truth post and said, 'Save TikTok!', the way we read that is that he's going to try to force along a true divestiture changing of his hands. The ownership. It's not the platform that members of Congress are concerned about. It's the Chinese Communist Party and their manipulation of the algorithms. They have been flooding the minds of American children with terrible messages, glorifying violence and antisemitism, and even suicide and eating disorders. I mean crazy kind of stuff. And they're mining the data of American citizens. It's a very dangerous thing. The Chinese Communist Party is not our friend, and we have to make sure this changes hands.”
The law gives the incoming Trump administration sweeping authority to ban or seek the sale of other Chinese-owned apps.
Donald Trump, who will be sworn in as President on Monday, says he wants to see the United States own 50 per cent of the platform.
“I'll approve. But let the United States of America own 50 per cent of TikTok. I'm approving on behalf of the United States. So they'll have a partner, the United States, and they'll have a lot of bidders. And the United States will do what we call a joint venture. And there's no risk. We're not putting up any money. All we're doing is giving them the approval without which they don't have anything. So I don't know. It sounds like that works. What do you think? Good. So whether you like TikTok or not, we're going to make a lot of money.”
He has not specified whether he plans on this 50 per cent share being owned by the government or in the control of a private owner.
Billionaire and close ally Elon Musk, who also attended Trump's pre-inauguration rally, has thrown his hat in the ring saying he'd like to buy the platform.
But, for now, TikTok is back in the US as Donald Trump's unpredictable politics take centre stage ahead of him once again taking the reins at the White House.
