TikTok said Sunday it is “in the process” of restoring service to the U.S., just over 12 hours after cutting off access to the popular video-sharing platform in anticipation of a ban.
“In agreement with our service providers, TikTok is in the process of restoring service,” TikTok said in a statement posted to X.
“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,” TikTok added. “We will work with President Trump on a long-term solution that keeps TikTok in the United States.”
Trump said in a Truth Social post on Sunday that he was asking companies “not to let TikTok stay dark” and planned to issue an executive order when he takes office Monday to give the app an extension.
A law, which required TikTok’s China-based parent company ByteDance to divest from the app or face a ban, went into effect Sunday. In anticipation of the ban, TikTok shut down access in the U.S. on Saturday shortly before midnight.
The Supreme Court rejected TikTok’s challenge to the law Friday, finding it did not violate the First Amendment. However, the Biden administration said it would not enforce the law and would instead leave implementation to the incoming Trump administration.
TikTok said later Friday that it planned to “go dark” unless President Biden stepped in, arguing that the White House did not provide the “necessary clarity and assurance to the service providers.” The White House dismissed the move as a “stunt.”
