TikTok returns to Google Play, Apple app stores

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Craig Nigrelli Anchor

By Craig Nigrelli (Anchor), Brock Koller (Senior Producer), Shea Taylor (Producer), Kaleb Gillespie (Video Editor)

TikTok has returned to the Apple and Google U.S. app stores following a temporary ban over national security concerns. The ban was enacted in January 2024, mandating ByteDance to divest its U.S. operations or face penalties.
The Trump administration issued an executive order delaying enforcement for 75 days, allowing negotiations over TikTok’s ownership to continue.
Despite the reprieve, legal experts warned that Apple and Google would still face potential fines of up to $5,000 per user if they continued working with TikTok under ByteDance’s ownership.

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TikTok disappeared from Apple and Google’s U.S. app stores last month after a law banning the platform took effect on Jan. 19. The law, signed by then-President Joe Biden in April 2024, required ByteDance, TikTok’s Chinese parent company, to divest its U.S. operations or face a ban due to national security concerns.

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Lawmakers cited fears that the Chinese government could access American users’ data.

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Why is TikTok back now?

On Thursday, Feb. 13, Apple and Google restored TikTok to their app stores after receiving assurances from the Trump administration that they would not be prosecuted or fined for hosting the app.

Trump, who had previously criticized the ban, signed an executive order delaying enforcement for 75 days. The delay allows negotiations over TikTok’s ownership to continue.

TikTok remained functional for users who had previously downloaded it, but it was unavailable for new downloads or updates. The restoration now enables the company to deliver security fixes and software updates to its millions of U.S. users.

What legal risks do Apple and Google face?

Despite Trump’s executive order, legal experts warned that the law banning TikTok remains in effect.

The legislation includes penalties of up to $5,000 per user for companies that continue working with the app while ByteDance owns it.

The statute of limitations on those fines extends beyond Trump’s term, meaning future administrations could enforce the penalties.

What happens next?

Trump indicated that his administration is working on a deal allowing TikTok to remain in the U.S. under new ownership. He has suggested that the U.S. government should hold a 50% stake in the company.

Potential buyers include Oracle, Microsoft and a group of American investors. Other interested parties, like former Los Angeles Dodgers owner Frank McCourt and content creator MrBeast, have also shown interest.

If an agreement is reached to separate TikTok from ByteDance, the ban could be lifted entirely. Until then, however, the platform’s future in the U.S. remains uncertain.

Tags: apple, Google, TikTok, Apple Store, Google Play

[craig nigrelli]

AFTER NEARLY A MONTH — TIKTOK HAS RETURNED TO THE APPLE AND GOOGLE PLAY APP STORES.

THE POPULAR SOCIAL MEDIA APP WAS REMOVED FROM THE STORES LAST MONTH WHEN A LAW BANNING THE APP IN THE U-S TOOK EFFECT.

UNDER THE LAW — APPLE AND GOOGLE ARE NOT ALLOWED to host TIKTOK AS LONG AS IT IS CONTROLLED BY BYTEDANCE, A CHINA-BASED TECH COMPANY.

HOWEVER, SOURCES TOLD MEDIA OUTLETS ATTORNEY GENERAL PAM BONDI SENT THE TECH GIANTS LETTERS YESTERDAY SAYING THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION WILL **NOT** PROSECUTE THEM FOR hosting THE APP.

THE BIDEN ADMINISTRATION PASSED A LAW BANNING THE APP DUE TO NATIONAL SECURITY CONCERNS THAT AMERICANS SENSITIVE INFORMATION COULD WIND UP IN THE HANDS OF THE CHINESE GOVERNMENT. THE LAW TOOK EFFECT ON JANUARY 19-TH.

WHEN PRESIDENT TRUMP TOOK OFFICE, HE PROMPTLY SIGNED AN EXECUTIVE ORDER POSTPONING ENFORCEMENT OF THE BAN UNTIL APRIL 5-TH — GIVING HIS ADMINISTRATION TIME TO FIND AN AMERICAN BUYER FOR THE APP.

TRUMP HAS ALSO SAID HE WOULD QUOTE “LIKE THE UNITED STATES TO HAVE A 50 PERCENT OWNERSHIP” of TIKTOK IN A “JOINT VENTURE.”

EXPERTS SAY ABOUT 52 % OF TIKTOK DOWNLOADS ARE FROM THE APPLE APP STORE AND 48% FROM GOOGLE PLAY.