- 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.
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.
