Apple and Google have restored TikTok, CapCut, and Lemon8 to their app stores in the United States, allowing users to download and access the services once again. The apps were previously removed due to national security concerns stemming from ByteDance, TikTok’s parent company, being based in China.
In 2022, the US government under President Biden ordered ByteDance to divest TikTok’s US operations by January 2025 or face a ban. However, President Trump issued an executive order shortly after taking office in January 2021, providing a 75-day extension for ByteDance to find a buyer.
While TikTok users who had uninstalled the app were initially unable to reinstall it, those who had kept it installed were able to continue using it. Oracle, Microsoft, and other tech companies have expressed interest in acquiring TikTok’s US operations, and the possibility of a joint venture between the US government and a tech company has also been مطرح.
TikTok’s reinstatement in US app stores comes as rival social networks, such as X, Bluesky, and Meta, have introduced competing video features and platforms. Despite the ongoing uncertainty surrounding its ownership, TikTok remains a popular app, ranking second in downloads in the US in 2022 with over 52 million downloads.
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