TikTok is restoring service in the US

Just over 12 hours later TikTok went dark In the US, the video sharing app is coming back online

“In agreement with our service providers, TikTok is in the process of restoring service,” the company said in a statement. “We thank President Trump for giving our service providers the clarity and assurance they need to provide TikTok to more than 170 million Americans and more than 7 million small businesses. No penalty shall be incurred for giving opportunity for improvement.”

A law that would either force TikTok’s parent company ByteDance to sell the app or see it banned in the US was due to take effect today. The law also makes it illegal for US companies to distribute, maintain or support the update of the app.

As President-elect Donald Trump takes office, President Joe Biden’s White House and Justice Department officials say they Leave the burden of law enforcement to the Trump administrationBut TikTok said “critical service providers” need a “specific statement” or the app will go dark. And indeed, the app stopped working last night and it disappeared from the Apple and Google Play app stores.

Earlier today, however, President-elect Donald Trump posted it He will issue an executive order That would delay the ban, and he suggested he wants TikTok to be reinstated soon because “Americans deserve to see our grand opening on Monday.” To that end, he said his order would “ensure that there will be no liability for any company that helped TikTok go dark before my order.”

This seems to be enough reassurance for TikTok and its service providers. The TikTok app was already working again for several TechCrunch writers when the company issued its statement. However, as of 1:05 pm Eastern, it still appears to be missing from the Apple App Store and Google Play.

And not all lawmakers were. In response to TikTok’s announcement, Republicans Posted by Senator Tom Cotton That “any company that hosts, distributes, services, or otherwise facilitates communist-controlled TikTok could face hundreds of billions of dollars in liquidated damages.”

Trump’s Sunday morning post also indicated that his “preliminary thoughts” on a deal to keep TikTok operating in the U.S. would “include a joint venture between current owners and/or new owners in which the U.S. would own 50%.”

In its statement, TikTok said it would “work with President Trump on a long-term solution that keeps TikTok in the United States.”