TikTok’s US ban – social dispute resolved in record timing

TikTok's US ban - social dispute resolved in record timing. Handshake meme, one side saying "USA", other side saying "TikTok". The top says "Publicity stunt"

For years now, America have been threatening to ban TikTok. The disputes came about concerns over data being leaked to the Chinese government. However, despite all the threats to ban the platform, the US never did. It was an ongoing threat.

Until this year. The threat was put into action, and content creators of all size were preparing their goodbyes. They were setting up profiles on other channels and letting their TikTok followers know where they’d be able to find them.

The platform was flooded with goodbye statements from content creators who have spent years building up their following and growing on the app. Followers of creators in other regions were begging their favourite TikTokers to share their videos on other platforms.

@matthewandpaul

Thank you for making these past 5 years so amazing for us 💔 #goodbyetiktok

♬ original sound – Matthew and Paul

They wanted to ensure they wouldn’t miss out on content despite no longer being able to watch through TikTok. The whole platform erupted into chaos, because finally the threat that had been promised, was actually being fulfilled.

It was all wasted energy in the end though as TikTok was removed from the US App Store, the platform was blocked, and then suddenly, ByteDance, the owners of TikTok reached an agreement with President Trump. So, as fast as it was deleted, it was reintroduced.

@mmmjoemele

We will never forget you 😭❤️

♬ original sound – trey

All we can see is good publicity for the controversial American leader, and equally good press for TikTok. Was it really worth removing it, taking away the data, only to reintroduce it the very next day? It was blocked on the Saturday, and reinstated on the Sunday.

Any user, who didn’t remove the app themselves, will now have it back. However, it seems for those who deleted it, or never had it, cannot yet see it within both the Apple App Store, or the Google Play Store. This should reappear shortly.

On Saturday the 18th January 2025, users were seeing a message appear on their screen within TikTok saying “a law banning TikTok has been enacted” and therefore the platform wouldn’t work. This law was signed by previous President, Joe Biden, back in April.

Donald Trump wanted the platform to be US owned. It’s not quite sure whether this is for safety and data breach concerns, or, just for greed. Nonetheless, he stated he would return the platform despite it not being US owned, and, he has.

The backlash over the deletion of the platform of the moment has been crazy. Meta saw their opportunity and took it. With the deletion of TikTok came the removal of ByteDance owned CapCut, a platform to edit memes into short-form video content.

Meta used this as their opportunity to introduce an almost identical platform, Edits. It looks similar, and works in the same way. However, this is pushed towards their platform Instagram, who have for a long time tried to compete Reels with TikTok videos.

But, Adam Mosseri, chief of Instagram, has stressed Edits can be used for all platforms. He’s covered their back, hoping the platform takes off while CapCut is no more. Although, now, it seems this might not be so likely with China and America reaching an agreement.

It seems, for now, peace is restored, and all content creators can go back to doing what they love with no real harm done. It was just a 24-hour hiatus. Will this be the end of the drama that has been going on for years? Will the law be revoked?

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