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“Hasn’t Even Been A Day”: People In Disbelief As TikTok Is Back Online

“Hasn’t Even Been A Day”: People In Disbelief As TikTok Is Back Online

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Less than 24 hours after its ban, TikTok is back online.

At the time of writing, American users and those who registered in the US, are able to access this app. While this may change at any moment, many media outlets are reporting that president-elect Donald Trump has made the reassurance that the service will resume in America.

RELATED:

    TikTok is back online

    Image credits: May Gauthier / Unsplash

    Highlights
    • TikTok is back online for US users less than 24 hours after its initial ban.
    • Trump has reassured people of the efforts he will make to ensure that TikTok resumes in America.
    • The social media app sued based on First Amendment rights after a bill citing its ban was passed — but they lost to the Supreme Court.

    “In agreement with our service providers, TikTok is in the process of restoring service,” the company wrote in a statement. 

    “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 7 million small businesses to thrive.”

    It continued, “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.”

    Image credits: Ave Calvar / Unsplash

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    This news comes just a few hours after the app officially went dark in America as those affected by the ban were greeted with one message. 

    “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!”

    While the platform was set to be shut down at the stroke of midnight on January 19, its services ceased to work approximately two and a half hours earlier.

    The company released a statement relating to Donald Trump’s efforts to bringing the app back

    Image credits: jmgrant516

    “hasn’t even been a day and tiktok is already back for americans can we ban them again 😑,” one user hilariously wrote on X

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    Many updates have been made regarding whether the social media app is gone for good or if it is set to come back — but its uncertain future is the only certainty.

    As reported by Wired, Congress passed a law last year that required ByteDance, TikTok’s Chinese parent company, to “divest its US operations or face a ban starting January 19.”

    Image credits: Library of Congress / Unsplash

    The social media app immediately sued on the grounds of the First Amendment but recently lost to the Supreme Court as they upheld the ban, saying it did not violate these rights.

    Just last night, they stayed true to this promise as TikTok disappeared from app stores and displayed an error message to anyone located in the US.

    The app went dark less than 24 hours ago in America

    Image credits: Ben Iwara / Unsplash

    Ahead of its ban, many content creators and influencers posted their own tributes, whether that be emotional speeches or humorous content.

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    “In a world where there’s so much judgment, TikTok provided a place where I can be free, I can be cringe, I can be who I am,” said a New York-based influencer, adding, “I shouldn’t cry about something so stupid, but it really changed my life.”

    Another editor and romantasy author from the book community wrote, “I owe you everything. You all allowed me to be a part of your booktok journey with open arms and gave me such a safe space to be myself.

    “I cannot thank you enough.”

    Image credits: Andrej Lišakov / Unsplash

    For many people around the world, TikTok was used as a platform to share their passions or ensure their small businesses took off — and, in some cases, even thrive.

    This is an ongoing story and will be updated accordingly.

    Many users hilariously reacted to the news

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    Michelle Tian

    Michelle Tian

    Writer, BoredPanda staff

    Read more »

    Hi, there! I'm a newswriter at Bored Panda, born and raised in Vancouver, Canada. I have a bachelor's degree in journalism from Boston University, as well as a philosophy minor. A few of my other hobbies include dancing, reading, cooking, or listening to a true crime podcast. My favourite thing to report on includes groundbreaking news in the field of science — particularly marine biology! I definitely didn't do well very well studying it in school, but being a journalist lets me live out those dreams in a different and exciting way!

    Read less »
    Michelle Tian

    Michelle Tian

    Writer, BoredPanda staff

    Hi, there! I'm a newswriter at Bored Panda, born and raised in Vancouver, Canada. I have a bachelor's degree in journalism from Boston University, as well as a philosophy minor. A few of my other hobbies include dancing, reading, cooking, or listening to a true crime podcast. My favourite thing to report on includes groundbreaking news in the field of science — particularly marine biology! I definitely didn't do well very well studying it in school, but being a journalist lets me live out those dreams in a different and exciting way!

    Renan Duarte

    Renan Duarte

    Author, BoredPanda staff

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    This lazy panda forgot to write something about itself.

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    Renan Duarte

    Renan Duarte

    Author, BoredPanda staff

    This lazy panda forgot to write something about itself.

    What do you think ?
    Add photo comments
    POST
    JP
    Community Member
    22 hours ago (edited) DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    I'm just sitting here (not a tik toc user, btw) laughing at all the people that crashed & burned their reputations by admitting they faked content. Guess tik toc is still out for them. 😆

    Eric G
    Community Member
    21 hours ago (edited) DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Tiktok paid Trump a lot of money to flip-flop. Trump is literally placing American interests at risk for personal gain. Let the bribes begin. We can all watch the destruction of America in public. It's not even happening behind closed doors. ....... And if you don't realize what the problem is, the best way I heard it put was that kids are on TikTok. They post everything there. They have their passwords. They have their personal information. Eventually, those kids will get jobs. Either higher-ups in corporations or within the government. That's the problem. The Chinese government will have all that information on all of them to exploit and extort. It needs to be banned for that reason.

    Jane No Dough
    Community Member
    21 hours ago (edited) DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Not just the financial bribery, but you know "The real Mr. FakeNews" will be spewing propaganda from every feed....edited to add....Not to mention the blatant Stock Market manipulation! Not as obvious for a company that isn't publicly traded up front, but the investors and direct competitors will dip and climb. Funny how the big news that will effect the market is always on a weekend. Remember Saddam and the WMD's?

    Load More Replies...
    Mireille Oosterhof
    Community Member
    22 hours ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Honestly, considering Trump was the one that started this banning of TikTok, AND he has Musk/Meta whispering in his ear, I will not be suprised one bit when he WILL dole out penalties, and force them to sell the whole thing to one of his billionaire friends....

    Tamra
    Community Member
    20 hours ago (edited) DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Yeah, it's all political bull$hit. Trump was the one to issue an executive order in 2020 to shut it down, citing national security concerns. Then, one of the major investors of TikTok started funneling money to Trump, and now Trump's saying on Truth Social: "Save TikTok!" I guess "national security" issues don't matter as much when you're getting paid off. The CEO of TikTok will also be attending the inauguration, and one assumes he'll also be "making donations" to secure the app's future in the US.

    Load More Replies...
    Kim Landfather
    Community Member
    20 hours ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    THIS is what people freak out over? Freak out over the fires in California, or the fact that we're losing glaciers at an alarming rate. So you can't post pictures of your meal online? Yikes.

    Gracie Jay
    Community Member
    21 hours ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    The ban didn’t shut down TikTok. The ban removed it from apple and google stores and stuff and they wouldn’t be able to do updates. But anyone that already had the app would still have it. It would just slowly stop working. ByteDance shut down TikTok. For the dramatics of it? To show Trump everyone that’d freak out? Idk, but the ban didn’t cause it to go offline like that. Not that I care, I think they should’ve made the changes or get banned.

    Blah Blah Blah
    Community Member
    14 hours ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    But any IT person will tell you if you want to change something on the back end it has to be "shut down" for a hot min. That mixed with Meta being evil AF, them living in a land of scarcity and being the power hungry bitches they all are, my guess it's something to do with them.

    Load More Replies...
    LizzieBoredom
    Community Member
    21 hours ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Thank God. Now I can go back to watching clips of talking parrots who swear.

    brandyy17
    Community Member
    17 hours ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    dont forget huskies yelling no cuz they dont wanna do something. really is amazing the amount of words they can say

    Load More Replies...
    Becky Samuel
    Community Member
    23 hours ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Hmm. I wonder why an elected President of the USA would turn back on an app that data sweeps American citizens for the Chinese government? Seems legit.

    Nathaniel He/Him Cis-Het
    Community Member
    22 hours ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Let me guess, tiktok will now promote President Shart's bitcoin that has been released, completely coincidently, as the Orange Manbaby takes office.

    Load More Replies...
    SlothyK8
    Community Member
    18 hours ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    SOOOO STUPID, but emblematic of what's coming over the next few years. Right now, you can literally deposit CASH into Trump's bank account by buying his branded crypto (and now Malaria's too!). The tech bros are finally getting traction in the power centers of the world via a corrupt, stupid and evil a*****e. As an American who worked their a*s off during election season (and for over 20 years), I apologize to the rest of the world for our stupidity.

    A girl
    Community Member
    17 hours ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Who is that dependent on an app? Hate the BP rehashes of the tiktoc content.

    Ozzy
    Community Member
    19 hours ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    This sounds like propaganda to make Trump look better. In fact, it makes me hate TikTok if they collaborated with him.

    n75mk9nk2n
    Community Member
    19 hours ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    To quote the very first tiktok I saw since its return: "Trump didn't do (expletive deleted). What kind of abusive relationship bulldoody is this; you take something away and you expect me to thank you for giving it back? I've seen enough movies with slaves in them, and it will be a cold day in Hades before I tap dance for that orange clown." Couldn't have said it better myself.

    Karizma Kaliko
    Community Member
    20 hours ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    I'm confused. The time is 6:29 PM the 19th. That hasn't even happened yet. Not even for the west coast

    BeepBoop is Lonely (she/they)
    Community Member
    14 hours ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    TikTok is gone from the app store, so I'm not sure what you're talking about? It's been a day I believe (not particularly keeping up with this lol)

    Load More Replies...
    Nikki Gross
    Community Member
    20 hours ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    It's not completely back. Apple and Google play stores have not returned to hosting the TikTok app. Trump is the one that gave the authorization for TikTok to be restarted, but he may NOT be able to go against the ruling by the Supreme Court. One of the things brought up, is that he may not have the power required to go against a Supreme Court issue. Apple and Google play stores are waiting to see if Trump will be able to overrule the ban before they make a decision on hosting the app.

    PenguinEmp
    Community Member
    16 hours ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Love trump coming to the rescue like he didn't have anything to do with it

    Gemini_Panda_83
    Community Member
    16 hours ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Meanwhile people revel in sleeping with Bonnie Blue and it being online. Everyone hates Trump. He’s the one that was fighting to keep it online. This site is the only social media I have. everyone lost their s**t when TikTok was dark for just a few hours. Maybe don’t quit your job to be an internet influencer.

    Ange Marsden
    Community Member
    19 hours ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    The Chinese are GENIUSES. And I'm amazed Trump isn't behind the ban because it would support his lil buddy.

    Ray Ceeya (RayCeeYa)
    Community Member
    20 hours ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    In the end it was all a massive publicity stunt, orchestrated by the CCP, to get young voters to vote Republican. Trump is a real life Manchurian Candidate.

    SlightlyTarnished
    Community Member
    15 hours ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    What? This is the most important thing to so many people in the US? Christ, kids have a 50-50 chance of coming home from school alive, yet the absence of TikTok gets America riled up. The future of the US is not bright, basically fücked.

    Mental Liberals
    Community Member
    16 hours ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    People? You mean woke liberal socialist morons!! It's been fun watching the morons go ballistic over this! What a joke these morons are!!

    TURKEYJOHNS
    Community Member
    19 hours ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    This is whole thing sucks so much. In case you don’t know, CapCut was banned as well. I was super disappointed as a small content creator but I just decided to delete it since I din’t see it coming back anytime soon (or ever) but NOWWW it’s back but only for those who kept it. I can’t redownload it or anything so yeah, I’m super pissed off rn.

    brandyy17
    Community Member
    17 hours ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    i never uninstall apps getting banned or shutting down until i actually see it. wen i went on tiktok last night a pop up mentioned the ban and trump wanting to reverse the ban. wen i woke up a pop up said welcome back. i gotta see it to believe it

    Load More Replies...
    JP
    Community Member
    22 hours ago (edited) DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    I'm just sitting here (not a tik toc user, btw) laughing at all the people that crashed & burned their reputations by admitting they faked content. Guess tik toc is still out for them. 😆

    Eric G
    Community Member
    21 hours ago (edited) DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Tiktok paid Trump a lot of money to flip-flop. Trump is literally placing American interests at risk for personal gain. Let the bribes begin. We can all watch the destruction of America in public. It's not even happening behind closed doors. ....... And if you don't realize what the problem is, the best way I heard it put was that kids are on TikTok. They post everything there. They have their passwords. They have their personal information. Eventually, those kids will get jobs. Either higher-ups in corporations or within the government. That's the problem. The Chinese government will have all that information on all of them to exploit and extort. It needs to be banned for that reason.

    Jane No Dough
    Community Member
    21 hours ago (edited) DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Not just the financial bribery, but you know "The real Mr. FakeNews" will be spewing propaganda from every feed....edited to add....Not to mention the blatant Stock Market manipulation! Not as obvious for a company that isn't publicly traded up front, but the investors and direct competitors will dip and climb. Funny how the big news that will effect the market is always on a weekend. Remember Saddam and the WMD's?

    Load More Replies...
    Mireille Oosterhof
    Community Member
    22 hours ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Honestly, considering Trump was the one that started this banning of TikTok, AND he has Musk/Meta whispering in his ear, I will not be suprised one bit when he WILL dole out penalties, and force them to sell the whole thing to one of his billionaire friends....

    Tamra
    Community Member
    20 hours ago (edited) DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Yeah, it's all political bull$hit. Trump was the one to issue an executive order in 2020 to shut it down, citing national security concerns. Then, one of the major investors of TikTok started funneling money to Trump, and now Trump's saying on Truth Social: "Save TikTok!" I guess "national security" issues don't matter as much when you're getting paid off. The CEO of TikTok will also be attending the inauguration, and one assumes he'll also be "making donations" to secure the app's future in the US.

    Load More Replies...
    Kim Landfather
    Community Member
    20 hours ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    THIS is what people freak out over? Freak out over the fires in California, or the fact that we're losing glaciers at an alarming rate. So you can't post pictures of your meal online? Yikes.

    Gracie Jay
    Community Member
    21 hours ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    The ban didn’t shut down TikTok. The ban removed it from apple and google stores and stuff and they wouldn’t be able to do updates. But anyone that already had the app would still have it. It would just slowly stop working. ByteDance shut down TikTok. For the dramatics of it? To show Trump everyone that’d freak out? Idk, but the ban didn’t cause it to go offline like that. Not that I care, I think they should’ve made the changes or get banned.

    Blah Blah Blah
    Community Member
    14 hours ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    But any IT person will tell you if you want to change something on the back end it has to be "shut down" for a hot min. That mixed with Meta being evil AF, them living in a land of scarcity and being the power hungry bitches they all are, my guess it's something to do with them.

    Load More Replies...
    LizzieBoredom
    Community Member
    21 hours ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Thank God. Now I can go back to watching clips of talking parrots who swear.

    brandyy17
    Community Member
    17 hours ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    dont forget huskies yelling no cuz they dont wanna do something. really is amazing the amount of words they can say

    Load More Replies...
    Becky Samuel
    Community Member
    23 hours ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Hmm. I wonder why an elected President of the USA would turn back on an app that data sweeps American citizens for the Chinese government? Seems legit.

    Nathaniel He/Him Cis-Het
    Community Member
    22 hours ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Let me guess, tiktok will now promote President Shart's bitcoin that has been released, completely coincidently, as the Orange Manbaby takes office.

    Load More Replies...
    SlothyK8
    Community Member
    18 hours ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    SOOOO STUPID, but emblematic of what's coming over the next few years. Right now, you can literally deposit CASH into Trump's bank account by buying his branded crypto (and now Malaria's too!). The tech bros are finally getting traction in the power centers of the world via a corrupt, stupid and evil a*****e. As an American who worked their a*s off during election season (and for over 20 years), I apologize to the rest of the world for our stupidity.

    A girl
    Community Member
    17 hours ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Who is that dependent on an app? Hate the BP rehashes of the tiktoc content.

    Ozzy
    Community Member
    19 hours ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    This sounds like propaganda to make Trump look better. In fact, it makes me hate TikTok if they collaborated with him.

    n75mk9nk2n
    Community Member
    19 hours ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    To quote the very first tiktok I saw since its return: "Trump didn't do (expletive deleted). What kind of abusive relationship bulldoody is this; you take something away and you expect me to thank you for giving it back? I've seen enough movies with slaves in them, and it will be a cold day in Hades before I tap dance for that orange clown." Couldn't have said it better myself.

    Karizma Kaliko
    Community Member
    20 hours ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    I'm confused. The time is 6:29 PM the 19th. That hasn't even happened yet. Not even for the west coast

    BeepBoop is Lonely (she/they)
    Community Member
    14 hours ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    TikTok is gone from the app store, so I'm not sure what you're talking about? It's been a day I believe (not particularly keeping up with this lol)

    Load More Replies...
    Nikki Gross
    Community Member
    20 hours ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    It's not completely back. Apple and Google play stores have not returned to hosting the TikTok app. Trump is the one that gave the authorization for TikTok to be restarted, but he may NOT be able to go against the ruling by the Supreme Court. One of the things brought up, is that he may not have the power required to go against a Supreme Court issue. Apple and Google play stores are waiting to see if Trump will be able to overrule the ban before they make a decision on hosting the app.

    PenguinEmp
    Community Member
    16 hours ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Love trump coming to the rescue like he didn't have anything to do with it

    Gemini_Panda_83
    Community Member
    16 hours ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Meanwhile people revel in sleeping with Bonnie Blue and it being online. Everyone hates Trump. He’s the one that was fighting to keep it online. This site is the only social media I have. everyone lost their s**t when TikTok was dark for just a few hours. Maybe don’t quit your job to be an internet influencer.

    Ange Marsden
    Community Member
    19 hours ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    The Chinese are GENIUSES. And I'm amazed Trump isn't behind the ban because it would support his lil buddy.

    Ray Ceeya (RayCeeYa)
    Community Member
    20 hours ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    In the end it was all a massive publicity stunt, orchestrated by the CCP, to get young voters to vote Republican. Trump is a real life Manchurian Candidate.

    SlightlyTarnished
    Community Member
    15 hours ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    What? This is the most important thing to so many people in the US? Christ, kids have a 50-50 chance of coming home from school alive, yet the absence of TikTok gets America riled up. The future of the US is not bright, basically fücked.

    Mental Liberals
    Community Member
    16 hours ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    People? You mean woke liberal socialist morons!! It's been fun watching the morons go ballistic over this! What a joke these morons are!!

    TURKEYJOHNS
    Community Member
    19 hours ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    This is whole thing sucks so much. In case you don’t know, CapCut was banned as well. I was super disappointed as a small content creator but I just decided to delete it since I din’t see it coming back anytime soon (or ever) but NOWWW it’s back but only for those who kept it. I can’t redownload it or anything so yeah, I’m super pissed off rn.

    brandyy17
    Community Member
    17 hours ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    i never uninstall apps getting banned or shutting down until i actually see it. wen i went on tiktok last night a pop up mentioned the ban and trump wanting to reverse the ban. wen i woke up a pop up said welcome back. i gotta see it to believe it

    Load More Replies...
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