TikTok restores service in US

TikTok restored service in the United States Sunday after briefly going dark, as a law banning the wildly popular app on national security grounds came into effect.

The video-sharing platform credited President-elect Donald Trump, who retakes power on Monday, for making the reversal possible -- though the outgoing administration of President Joe Biden had earlier said that it would not enforce any ban.

TikTok had shut down in the United States late Saturday as a deadline loomed for its Chinese owners ByteDance to sell its US subsidiary to non-Chinese buyers.

Earlier Sunday, as millions of dismayed users found themselves barred from the app, Trump promised to issue an executive order delaying the ban to allow time to "make a deal."

He also called in a post on his Truth Social platform for the United States to take part ownership in TikTok.

"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," TikTok said in a statement posted on X following Trump's comments.

TikTok, which was back online in the United States by Sunday afternoon, did not address Trump's call for part American ownership of the app.

At a pre-election rally Sunday evening at a Washington sports arena, Trump hammered home his enthusiasm for saving the app, telling the crowd: "Frankly, we have no choice, we have to save it," while indicating that there were a "lot of jobs" involved.

The law allows for a 90-day delay of the ban if the White House can show progress toward a viable deal, but so far ByteDance has flatly refused any sale.

The Biden administration said it would leave enforcement of the law to Trump.

From teenage dancers to grandmothers sharing cooking tips, TikTok has been embraced for its ability to transform ordinary users into global celebrities when a video goes viral.

Sunday's blackout came after the US Supreme Court on Friday upheld the legislation banning it pending any sale.

Trump, who signed an executive order stepping up pressure on ByteDance to sell in 2020, has since credited the app with connecting him to younger voters.

It is unclear what the incoming president can do to lift the ban unless ByteDance ultimately sells, however.

"Congress wrote this law to be virtually president-proof," warned Adam Kovacevich, chief executive of industry trade group Chamber of Progress.

Besides removing TikTok from app stores, the law requires Apple and Google to block new downloads, with the companies liable for penalties of up to US$5,000 per user if the app is accessed.

Oracle, which hosts TikTok's servers, would also be legally obligated to enforce the ban.