Is TikTok unbanned? Platform says it’s restoring service

It’s been a little over 12 hours since the app went dark, but TikTok will be restored in the U.S., the platform said in an X post on Sunday afternoon.

“In agreement with our service providers, TikTok is in the process of restoring service,” the TikTok Policy X account posted on Sunday. “We thank President Trump for providing the necessary clarity and assurance to our service providers that they will face no penalties providing TikTok to over 170 million Americans and allowing over seven million small businesses to thrive. It’s a strong stand for the First Amendment and against arbitrary censorship. We will work with President Trump on a long-term solution that keeps TikTok in the United States.”

As of Sunday afternoon, users reported a mix of accessibility, with some having full access to the platform on web browsers and in the mobile app, with others able to access the full website and only parts of the app.

TikTok remained unavailable in the Apple App and Google Play stores as of Sunday afternoon.

Live updates:TikTok working to restore service after Trump assurance

When and why was TikTok banned in the US?

TikTok became unavailable on Saturday night, just a few hours before legislation banning the app on Sunday went into effect. TikTok users who tried to access the platform on internet browsers and through the mobile app were greeted with a pop-up message that restricted their access.

“A law banning TikTok has been enacted in the U.S. Unfortunately, that means you can’t use TikTok for now,” the pop-up message read on the TikTok mobile app and website. “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 legislation that created the TikTok ban was signed into law by President Joe Biden last spring. For several years, some government officials have expressed concerns that ByteDance, TikTok’s Chinese parent company, is a national security threat. They have been concerned that ByteDance, based in Beijing, could be sharing U.S. user data with the Chinese government.

Could Trump ‘save’ TikTok?

Despite previously supporting a ban on TikTok, especially during his first administration, President-elect Donald Trump is now looking to “save” it.

Trump told NBC News last week that he plans to issue an executive order on Monday afternoon, just hours into his second term, temporarily halting the ban.

More:‘Save TikTok’: Donald Trump says he’ll issue executive order to delay TikTok ban

The president-elect also took to his social media platform Truth Social on Sunday to clarify his intentions with the order which will, “extend the period of time before the law’s prohibitions take effect, so that we can make a deal to protect our national security.”

Trump added that, “The order will also confirm that there will be no liability for any company that helped keep TikTok from going dark before my order.”

If Trump follows through with this executive order on Monday, the current TikTok limitations will have lasted less than 48 hours. Trump did not specify Sunday the length of his planned extension, though he told NBC’s Kristen Welker on Saturday he would “most likely” offer a 90-day respite.

Is it illegal to access TikTok?

It is not illegal for users to access TikTok, even though the ban is technically still in place under federal legislation. However, the same is not true for internet hosting services and app stores that distribute the platform.

Under the Biden’s legislation, it became illegal for internet hosting services and app stores to distribute TikTok on Sunday. However, the post by TikTok Policy claims that internet hosting services will not be reprimanded for restoring the platform under Trump.

More:How the TikTok ban works: Why not complying is risky, even if Trump wants to help

The federal legislation states that companies will be hit with $5,000 fines for each user they help access TikTok.

For Google and Apple, this could mean a $5,000 fine for each user who downloads or updates the app through the companies’ services. For internet hosting services like Oracle, it could mean a $5,000 fine for each user who simply accesses the app through its services.

Neither Google, Apple nor Oracle immediately responded for comment when contacted by USA TODAY on Sunday.

This story was updated to add new information.

This article was originally published by a www.usatoday.com . Read the Original article here. .

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