TikTok, the Chinese video-sharing social media app, has returned to Apple and Google app stores close to a month since it was taken down by a new US security law. The law was signed into existence by former President Joe Biden after it was enacted by Congress and triggered national security concerns over how the app accumulates data about its users.
Even with the threat of a ban in the United States, the app has been reinstated after President Donald Trump issued a temporary hold on enforcement.
Removal and Return
On Jan. 18, the app temporarily vanished from the Apple and Google app stores, disappointing tens of millions of users. Its disappearance came after the signing of a law intended to mitigate national security fears surrounding the Chinese-owned social media application. ByteDance, TikTok’s parent company, is headquartered in China, which ignited concerns that the Chinese government would use the app to gain access to American data or manipulate public opinion by fiddling with data.
TikTok’s absence, however, was short-lived. When Trump started his second term as President, he directed a 75-day delay in enforcing the law, providing TikTok with an opportunity to work out issues. After this delay, Apple and Google again began to offer TikTok in their app stores.
Security Concerns Over TikTok
The central concern regarding TikTok has been that the Chinese state would exploit the app as an instrument of spying and secret control. The United States government previously demanded ByteDance sell TikTok. Otherwise, the app would be banned from use in America.
Trump had implied a solution of a joint venture by the United States and ByteDance but had no details as to how this might happen. “Effectively, with TikTok, I have the option of selling it or shutting it down,” Trump announced after commanding the delay.
Although the hiatus, the law that penalizes companies for breaching it is still valid. Companies may be penalized up to $5,000 per user if they persist in operating in the US without abiding by the law.
A Global Scrutiny on TikTok
TikTok, initially launched in 2016 as Douyin for the Chinese market, was rolled out globally as TikTok in 2017. Since the app’s worldwide release, governments from all over the world have been increasingly concerned about its data privacy practices and possible ties to the Chinese government. With millions of users worldwide, TikTok has maintained its growth in popularity despite the criticism.
As the software makes its way back to app stores, TikTok still has to deal with worries about data privacy and security around the world.
