TikTok returns to US after brief shutdown

TikTok has returned to the US after shutting down for less than 24-hours ahead of a planned ban in the country.

On Monday, the video-sharing platform contacted US users to tell them that the platform was live again after Donald Trump – who is being sworn in as the 47th president of the country – said he would issue an executive order to delay the ban.

“Thanks for your patience and support,” it told them. “As a result of President Trump’s efforts, TikTok is back in the US! You can continue to create, share, and discover all the things you love on TikTok.”

Last week, reports said that the company was prepared to shut down its US operations ahead of the federal ban, which was scheduled for Sunday.

Sources told Reuters that the shutdown was intended to protect TikTok service providers from legal liability with a view to a possible operational reinstatement if Trump decided to lift the ban when taking office on 20 January.

Last Monday, Trump told the Washington Post he was considering issuing an executive order to suspend the enforcement of a shutdown for 60-90 days, adding that he will seek to find a ‘political resolution’ of the issue.

Upcoming national security adviser Mike Waltz reinforced the idea of such a plan when he told Fox News on Wednesday: “TikTok in itself is a fantastic platform, we will find a way to preserve it but protect people’s data.”