What Happened with TikTok This Weekend? Here's Everything We Know, From a Shutdown to a New Bid

Jan 20, 2025 11:30 PM - 3 weeks ago 30724

After the Supreme Court decided to uphold the TikTok prohibition connected Friday, the app went acheronian successful the U.S. connected Saturday nighttime for the 170 cardinal Americans who usage it pinch the message, "Sorry, TikTok isn't disposable correct now."

However, the app was backmost by midday Sunday, though still unavailable connected app stores.

TikTok thanked President-elect Donald Trump for giving it the "clarity" to return online pinch nary penalty.

TikTok's welcome backmost message for users read: "Thanks for your patience and support. As a consequence of President Trump's efforts, TikTok is backmost successful the U.S.!"

Why Was TikTok Banned?

Congress passed a rule successful April 2024 called the Protecting Americans From Foreign Adversary Controlled Applications Act, which gave TikTok until January 19 to abstracted from Beijing-based genitor institution ByteDance and beryllium sold to a non-Chinese institution aliases look a prohibition from U.S. app stores.

Lawmakers were concerned astir U.S. personification information making its way to the Chinese authorities and TikTok spreading Chinese propaganda to the American public.

Related: Here's How Long ByteDance Has to Sell, and Why TikTok Is Preparing for a Legal Battle

TikTok fought the rule successful the courts, arguing that it was unconstitutional and violated the free reside guaranteed successful the First Amendment. The societal media institution brought its statement earlier the Supreme Court connected January 10, but was unsuccessful: The tribunal upheld the TikTok ban connected Friday.

Why TikTok Is Back

The alteration arrived acknowledgment to a Sunday station from Trump connected Truth Social. Trump asked companies not to fto TikTok enactment acheronian and stated that he would rumor an executive bid connected Monday to lengthen the clip TikTok has earlier the law's restrictions return place.

The bid would guarantee location would beryllium "no liability for immoderate institution that helped support TikTok from going dark" earlier his executive order.

Trump besides stated that he wants the U.S. to person 50% ownership of a associated task to ain TikTok.

"Therefore, my first thought is simply a associated task betwixt the existent owners and/or caller owners whereby the U.S. gets a 50% ownership successful a associated task group up betwixt the U.S. and whichever acquisition we truthful choose," Trump wrote.

In a connection provided to TechCrunch connected Sunday pursuing Trump's post, TikTok said that it was "in the process of restoring service."

"We convey President Trump for providing the basal clarity and assurance to our work providers that they will look nary penalties providing TikTok to complete 170 cardinal Americans and allowing complete 7 cardinal mini businesses to thrive," the connection read.

Another Possible Buyer Emerges

TikTok has already received galore bids (official and not) for the platform.

Shark Tank investor Kevin O'Leary joined forces pinch billionaire and erstwhile L.A. Dodgers proprietor Frank McCourt in a $20 cardinal bid to buy the platform. Trump stated connected Sunday that he wants the U.S. to ain half of TikTok. There were besides reports that Chinese officials talked astir trading TikTok to Elon Musk, which TikTok called "pure fiction."

Now, reports emerged that AI hunt motor startup Perplexity AI submitted a bid of astatine slightest $50 cardinal to ByteDance connected Saturday to create a caller merged entity consisting of TikTok U.S., Perplexity, and its partners, per CNBC.

The merger would adhd much videos to Perplexity and let ByteDance investors to support their equity stakes.

ByteDance has antecedently indicated that it would not waste TikTok, truthful Perplexity believes it has a chance pinch a merger alternatively than a sale.

Related: 'I Am Open to Investing': Mark Cuban Announces Open Call for 'Anyone' Who Can Build a TikTok Alternative

More