Republicans disagree

TikTok is already back online in the USA

The TikTok platform is already back online shortly after the shutdown.

(Bild: visuals6x - stock.adobe.com)

Less than 24 hours after being shut down, TikTok is available again in the USA. "Thanks to the efforts of President Trump, TikTok is back," the short video platform announced. Trump had given partners the necessary assurances that they would not have to fear any penalties if they continued to work together. Although Trump initiated the ban proceedings against TikTok in 2020, he recently distanced himself from them.

At a rally to mark his upcoming inauguration for his second term in office on Monday, Donald Trump said: "We have no choice. We have to save TikTok."

Influencers rejoice
Many of the 170 million US users reacted to the platform's rapid return with relief. Influencers who earn their living with posts on TikTok celebrated the comeback. "Salute to Donald Trump," said Bryce Hall, who "makes fun of stupid things" in videos and has gathered more than 23 million followers behind him. "He understands the power of Generation Z."

According to CJ Pearson, co-chair of the Republican Party Youth Council, the platform played a key role in Trump's election victory. "2024 was the first influencer election." He only received 43% of the vote among 18 to 29-year-olds. However, this was seven percentage points more than in 2020.

TikTok is back online.

(Bild: visuals6x - stock.adobe.com)

But its future is uncertain
However, the joy was also mixed with pensive tones: "We're back, but at what cost," asked one user. Part-time influencer Kelly Sites fears that a change of ownership could lead to a change of mood on the platform, similar to the purchase of the short messaging service X, formerly known as Twitter, by billionaire Elon Musk. Alongside billionaire Frank McCourt, Musk was recently considered a possible buyer of TikTok. Among other things, Musk has reduced content moderation on X in recent years. Due to the increase in misinformation and Musk's support for Trump and right-wing parties in Europe, more and more companies and other organizations are turning their backs on X.

TikTok and its Chinese parent company ByteDance are suspected of espionage due to their proximity to the government in Beijing. For this reason, the US Congress passed a law last year with a large bipartisan majority that obliged ByteDance to sell its US business by January 19, 2025. After the Supreme Court struck down a lawsuit against the ban, the app, which is particularly popular with young people, initially shut down at the weekend.

50:50 instead of a complete sale
Trump wants to grant ByteDance a grace period of 90 days to find a solution to the dispute. He is seeking a 50% stake in TikTok through a US company, Trump wrote on his short message service Truth Social. However, the government in Beijing was cautious. Such decisions should be made by companies "independently". China would probably have to approve a partial sale because TikTok's recommendation algorithm, which is considered the cornerstone of the company's success, is probably classified as strategically important technology.

Republicans disagree
There was also resistance in Trump's Republican Party. "Now that the law has come into effect, there is no legal basis for 'extending' the deadline," wrote Senators Tom Cotton and Pete Ricketts in a joint press release. "In order for TikTok to come back online in the future, ByteDance must agree to a sale that meets the law's requirements for a qualified divestiture by cutting all ties between TikTok and Communist China."

For influencer Charlotte Warren, legal niceties don't matter. "I would prefer a political dodge to the complete loss of TikTok." Because she is threatened with the loss of annual revenue of 60,000 dollars (a good 58,200 euros). "I just want my app back." The threat of losing his livelihood has also left its mark on Richard "Chuck" Fasulo. "I, like many others, have developed a great disdain for the US government."