Lindsey Smith ‘27
Editor
Sienna Smith ‘27
Staff Writer On the night of January 18, a digital storm brewed leaving TikTok going dark.
Upon opening the app, United States TikTok users were met with the following statement: “A law banning TikTok has been enacted in the U.S. Unfortunately, that means you can’t use TikTok for now. We are fortunate that President Trump has indicated that he will work with us on a solution to reinstate TikTok once he takes office. Please stay tuned!” The app was also removed from the App Store at that time.
Many users were taken aback, especially Cape Economics teacher Kelci Atkins, who “ was shocked that [the ban] actually happened.”
Frequent TikTokers did not have to wait long, however, with the app running again less than 15 hours after the initial ban. This time, the message shown when opening the app read, “Thanks for your patience and support. As a result of President Trump’s efforts, TikTok is back in the U.S.! You can continue to create, share, and discover all the things you love on TikTok.”
When the app started working again for Sophomore Camilla Willis, she “jumped for joy, I was so happy… my life was whole again.” Without the app, Willis “felt like [her] brain was slowly rotting from all the Instagram reels [she] was scrolling through.”
The cause behind the restrictions of TikTok were concerns from the United States government that the Chinese government could access sensitive information of users through the app and use the TikTok algorithm to spread misinformation to Americans.
Users of TikTok seem to be disregarding the allegations, with both Atkins and Willis saying they did not have security concerns around personal information leading up to the ban.
While TikTok’s future in the United States is not entirely clear, President Trump’s 75-day Executive Order extension on the ban was designed to buy the U.S. government time to find a solution, which could include joint ownership of TikTok with a U.S. buyer.
Shark Tank's Kevin O’Leary and a group led by Frank McCourt are considering taking over the platform. McCourt stated he was “open to a 50% share of TikTok”. There are also rumors rising that Elon Musk might take charge since he has the resources to buy the app while also being a major part of Trump’s team.
Besides this, users were considering other forms of entertainment before the app shut down, such as RedNote — another Chinese app which was placed No. 1 in Apple Store’s Top Free Apps — as a possible escape route after the ban. The app is similar to social media platforms like Pinterest and Instagram, but entirely in Mandarin. Lemon8, also owned by ByteDance, is another social media app that users have drifted toward downloading if the ban eventually occurs.
As of February 13, TikTok has returned to the App Store for the first time since the initial ban. However, Trump’s extension is still set to expire after 75 days; on or around April 5, 2025.
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