TikTok service restored in the US after promises that ban won't be enforced

China-based social media site TikTok has returned from a one-day hiatus in the US, following assurances from the incoming Trump administration that it will face no penalties for restoring service to its US users now.

Apple and other companies temporarily took the TikTok app off their respective App Store, which complied with a law passed by Congress banning the service in the US if the parent company failed to find a US buyer by January 19th.

The short-lived ban affected numerous TikTok-related apps and services, including TikTok Studio, TikTok Shop Seller Center, CapCut, Lemon8, Hypic, Lark collaboration software, the AI study companion Gauth, and the game Marvel Snap.

At 12:27pm Eastern time, TikTok posted a note announcing the quick return on X.com. "In agreement with our service providers, TikTok is in the process of restoring service."

The post went on to imply that TikTok will continue to work with the incoming administration on a "long-term solution" to keep the service viable in the US. The post referred to the legislative ban on the service as "arbitrary censorship," and the reversal a "strong stand" for the First Amendment.

Statement from TikTok on its move to restore service in the US.

When the ban took effect, Apple had posted a bulletin on its support site clarifying how the original ban would work. According to the page, the company complied with the law and removed the app and its associated apps from the App Store.

Apple noted that users who already had the app on their mobile devices could continue to use the apps as normal, but could not redownload or restore the app if it was deleted. Had the ban persisted, users would also not have been able to update the app, which would eventually render it unworkable.

The page also noted conditions for those temporarily visiting the United States from other countries. "Users visiting from outside the United States with their Apple Account set to a country or region that is not the United States are unable to download, update, or make in-app purchases and new subscriptions inside ByteDance Ltd. apps while within the land or maritime borders of the United States."

It further noted that full functionality was restored to the TikTok app when the user left the United States. It also provided a link for users to cancel their subscription.

As of 1pm EST, Apple has not yet restored the TikTok app to its App Store. The company will likely wait to restore the app until the ban is legally reversed by the incoming administration or Congress.

TikTok, like other social services, is a frequent source of misinformation about Apple and Apple products, among other topics. In recent weeks, AppleInsider has had to publish articles debunking claims that originated from TikTok creators, claiming that AirDrop could be used to steal credit cards, and that the Photos widget could tell you who last looked at your messages on iOS.