Despite President Donald Trump’s executive order on January 20, 2025, delaying the enforcement of a ban on TikTok by 75 days, the app remains unavailable on Apple and Google app stores in the United States.
This situation follows the enactment of the Protecting Americans from Foreign Adversary Controlled Applications Act, which required ByteDance, TikTok’s Chinese parent company, to divest its U.S. operations by January 19, 2025, or face a ban.
Although TikTok resumed service after the delay, it has not yet returned to the app stores. Analysts suggest that Apple and Google may be awaiting additional protections before reinstating the app, as they could face fines for hosting or distributing it during the ban period.
Former U.S. Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin has expressed interest in investing in TikTok, proposing the transfer of all technology to avoid future interactions with ByteDance. Additionally, Bill Ford, CEO of TikTok investor General Atlantic, mentioned that there are ways to change TikTok’s U.S. ownership that do not necessarily involve its sale, noting that 60% of ByteDance is controlled by non-Chinese shareholders.
In the interim, users who have the app installed can continue using it, but new downloads and updates are unavailable. Some users have turned to accessing TikTok through web browsers as a temporary solution.
