Netflix adds 'TikTok generation' thriller that kept fans 'on edge for two hours'
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TikTok ban live updates: US redownloads not available as app comes back online
During his first administration, Trump pushed for a TikTok ban over national security concerns with China in 2020
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TikTok goes dark in the U.S.
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The Chinese-owned social media app TikTok has hailed “President Trump’s efforts” as it confirmed it is back online in the U.S. following a brief shutdown.
TikTok went offline in the U.S. at about 10.30 p.m. Eastern time on Saturday before the ban went into effect on January 19.
But on Sunday morning President-elect Donald Trump intervened and vowed to issue an executive order on Monday in a bid to get TikTok back online again.
When users logged in to the app on Sunday afternoon, they were greeted by the message: “Welcome back! Thanks for your patience and support. As a result of President Trump’s efforts, TikTok is back in the U.S.!”
However, the app remained unavailable for redownload for many users in app stores as of Sunday late afternoon.
The company behind the app released a statement crediting the president-elect for “providing clarity” to tech companies.
“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,” TikTok said.
During his first administration, Trump pushed for a ban on the app over national security concerns.
‘Whether you like TikTok or not, we’re going to make a lot of money’ - Trump Social media platform still unavailable for redownload in app stores for many users TikTok says it’s back online ‘as a result of President Trump’ Trump vows to issue executive order on Monday postponing TikTok ban Was the whole TikTok drama a bait-and-switch to make Trump look good?Political commentators have suggested that the drama surrounding TikTok is a “scam” to make President-elect Donald Trump “look good” after he has vowed to save it.
Skeptics have highlighted how Trump was the one who initially called for the controversial Chinese-owned social media app to be banned in 2020. But since Trump’s following on TikTok grew — he has now amassed 14.8 million followers — and he hinted it helped to clinch the election, the president-elect has changed his tune.
“I have a warm spot in my heart for TikTok because I won youth by 34 points,” Trump said in December. “And there are those that say TikTok had something to do with that.”
Read the full story below.
Was the whole TikTok drama a bait-and-switch to make Trump look good?Skeptics have highlighted how Trump was the one who initially called for the Chinese-owned social media app to be banned in 2020
Rhian Lubin20 January 2025 05:00
How did we get here?Efforts to ban TikTok resurfaced in Congress early last year, and quickly gained bipartisan support among lawmakers who voiced about the potential for the platform to surveil and manipulate Americans.
The legislation the Supreme Court upheld passed the House and the Senate in April after it was included as part of a high-priority $95 billion package that provided foreign aid to Ukraine and Israel. President Joe Biden quickly signed it, and the two companies and a group of content creators quickly sued.
A lower court upheld the statute in early December. The legislation gave ByteDance nine months from the enactment date to sell TikTok, and a possible three-month extension if a sale was in progress.
Rhian Lubin20 January 2025 03:30
Trump called for TikTok ban in 2020Trump said the U.S. “must take aggressive action against TikTok” in 2020.
On August 6, 2020, Trump issued an executive order to impose sanctions on TikTok.
“The United States must take aggressive action against the owners of TikTok to protect our national security,” Trump said in the order.
It called for ByteDance, TikTok’s Chinese parent company, to divest its U.S. interests or face sanctions.
The order warned that TikTok’s data collection “threatens to allow the Chinese Communist Party access to Americans’ personal and proprietary information — potentially allowing China to track the locations of federal employees and contractors, build dossiers of personal information for blackmail and conduct corporate espionage.”
Trump’s effort to ban the app was then blocked by a federal judge. The judge ruled he had exceeded his authority and President Biden revoked the ban in 2021, before Congress considered bringing in new legislation.
Trump called for a ban in 2020 (AFP via Getty Images)Rhian Lubin20 January 2025 02:30
Instagram takes advantage of TikTok ban and launches new video editing productInstagram has taken advantage of the uncertainty surrounding the TikTok ban and launched its own video-editing product called Edits.
“Today we’re announcing a new app called Edits for those of you who are passionate about making videos on your phone,” Adam Mosseri, head of Instagram said in a video statement on the app. “There’s a lot going on right now, but no matter what happens, it’s our job to provide the best possible tools for creators.”
Mosseri said that Edits is “more than a video editing app.”
“There will be a dedicated tab for inspiration, another for keeping track of early ideas, a much higher-quality camera (which I used to record this video), all the editing tools you’d expect, the ability to share drafts with friends and other creators, and — if you decide to share your videos on Instagram — powerful insights into how those videos perform,” he added.
Rhian Lubin20 January 2025 01:30
Elon Musk: ‘I’ve been against a TikTok ban for a long time'Elon Musk has weighed in on the TikTok ban drama, adding that he has been against it for “a long time.”
“I have been against a TikTok ban for a long time, because it goes against freedom of speech,” he said on Sunday on X.
“That said, the current situation where TikTok is allowed to operate in America, but ???? is not allowed to operate in China is unbalanced. Something needs to change.”
Rhian Lubin20 January 2025 00:30
TikTok ban only enforceable by Attorney GeneralMSNBC’s legal correspondent Lisa Rubin outlines the legal situation surrounding the TikTok ban.
Rhian Lubin19 January 2025 23:30
White House: TikTok’s statement about being forced to go dark ‘a stunt'On Saturday Biden White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre called the TikTok statement about being forced to go dark Sunday a “stunt.”
We have seen the most recent statement from TikTok.
It is a stunt, and we see no reason for TikTok or other companies to take actions in the next few days before the Trump Administration takes office on Monday.
We have laid out our position clearly and straightforwardly: actions to implement this law will fall to the next administration.
So TikTok and other companies should take up any concerns with them.
Rhian Lubin19 January 2025 23:00
Trump: 'Whether you like TikTok or not, we’re going to make a lot of money’Donald Trump told a crowd tonight: “Whether you like TikTok or not, we’re going to make a lot of money.”
The incoming president is speaking at his pre-inaugural rally in Washington D.C and basking in the glory of his election victory and in “saving” the social media giant’s future in the U.S.
“Can you believe what I'll do to win an election?” Trump said.
“And we went on Tiktok. And Republicans have never won the young vote. The youth vote, they win a lot of votes, but they never won the youth vote. We won the youth vote by 36 points.
“So I like Tiktok.”
Katie Hawkinson has the full story.
Rhian Lubin19 January 2025 22:41
TikTok unavailable for re-download in app storesTikTok is still unavailable for re-download in app stores for many users who deleted it from their phones after the ban came into effect.
On Google’s Playstore a message says: “Downloads for this app are paused due to current US legal requirements.”
On Apple’s App Store a message says: “TikTok and other ByteDance apps are not available in the country or region you’re in.”
An earlier message from TikTok said that the app was back on in the U.S.
Rhian Lubin19 January 2025 22:14
Trump's national security adviser pledges to preserve TikTok for American usersHe said that Trump was working in “real time” with tech companies to reach an agreement for new US ownership of TikTok — something a number of his allies, including Canada’s Kevin O’Leary, have also been at work seeking to make a reality.
Waltz also indicated that it was possible for TikTok to remain under Chinese ownership, albeit with “firewalls” (such as Americans’ data being stored in US-based servers) to guard against perceived national security threats.
Watch below.
Trump's national security adviser pledges to preserve TikTok for American usersJohn Bowden19 January 2025 22:00
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