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Understanding the TikTok Ban and Why You Cannot Download It

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Last modified: Jan 30, 2025 4:56 PM
20 967 Last modified Jan 30, 2025 4:56 PM

Understanding the TikTok Ban and Why You Cannot Download It


Introduction

This User Tip will address the current TikTok ban situation, why you cannot download it from the US App Store and what it means for the future of the app. I have seen lots of users posting in the Community asking why TikTok is not available for download, so I have created this User Tip to help clear up the confusion.


The Law Behind the Ban

During his first term as president, Trump led the effort to ban TikTok. On April 24, 2024, The Protecting Americans from Foreign Adversary Controlled Applications Act (PAFACA) which the U.S. Congress had previously passed was signed into law by Former President Biden. This law required that ByteDance Ltd., the parent company of TikTok, to divest its U.S. Operations from Chinese Government control by January 19, 2025 or face a nationwide ban. 


On January 19, 2025, TikTok was officially banned from being available for download in the US. This required major tech companies such as Apple, to take the app off their App Stores.


On January 20, 2025, now President Trump changed his mind on the TikTok ban, delaying the enforcement of the Foreign Adversary Controlled Applications Act (PAFACA) for 75 days. However Apple and other major tech companies will continue to keep TikTok off their App Stores to comply with the law and avoid ruinous fines and potential legal liability, as the law imposing these fines has not been overturned. If Apple and these major tech companies were to illegally bring TikTok back for download, they could face a $5,000 fine per user. With 170 million US TikTok users, this could amount to a total fine of $850 billion.


Current Situation

As of now, TikTok remains unavailable for US App Store users. Users who had TikTok installed on their devices before the ban may still have access to the app, provided they did not delete it. However for users that did not have TikTok downloaded, we do not know if or when it will return for download. Either ByteDance must divest its U.S. operations from Chinese government control, or the law must be changed by U.S. Congress. In the meantime, you can still watch TikTok on the web.


You can also read Apple’s statement on this:

About availability of TikTok and ByteDance Ltd. apps in the United States - Apple Support


This is a complicated situation and I will continue to update this User Tip as it develops. If you have any feedback for my User Tip, please go ahead in the comments. 


Last updated: 1/25/25, more suggestions implemented.

Comments

Jan 24, 2025 5:41 AM

It's good, Zachyy. But the way you mention both presidents makes Trump seem like the hero when in fact, he just changed his mind on the topic. Before this line:


On April 24, 2024, The Protecting Americans from Foreign Adversary Controlled Applications Act (PAFACA) was signed into law by U.S. Congress and Former President Biden.


I suggest you add:


During his first term as president, Trump led the effort to ban TikTok.


Not to make this political, but if we are to name names, it should tell the whole story.

Jan 24, 2025 5:41 AM

Jan 25, 2025 12:30 AM

I suggest editing this line;

On April 24, 2024, The Protecting Americans from Foreign Adversary Controlled Applications Act (PAFACA) was signed into law by U.S. Congress and Former President Biden.


The US Congress does not sign anything into law. The Congress passes laws that are then given to the president for their approval or veto. If the president approves the law, they sign it.


I suggest this as a replacement;

On April 24, 2024, The Protecting Americans from Foreign Adversary Controlled Applications Act (PAFACA) which the U.S. Congress had previously passed was signed into law by Former President Biden.

Jan 25, 2025 12:30 AM

Jan 25, 2025 1:56 PM

Dear Carol B. and Dah•veed, both your suggestions have been implemented. Thank you for further enhancing my User Tip and I appreciate everyone else’s kind comments.

Jan 25, 2025 1:56 PM

Jan 25, 2025 4:44 PM

Now that the current administration has killed the ban what changes are you going to make to your tip?


Jan 25, 2025 4:44 PM

Jan 25, 2025 6:01 PM

Perhaps re-word this part: "Users who downloaded TikTok before the ban can still access it." This isn't true.


It seems like people believed what they were told and actually deleted the app of their own volition. Now, they think the app has been unbanned and want to download it again.

Jan 25, 2025 6:01 PM

Jan 25, 2025 6:21 PM

etresoft, I have re-worded that part, let me know how it looks.

Jan 25, 2025 6:21 PM

Jan 25, 2025 6:26 PM

Old Toad, I will continue to see how this situation unfolds, then I shall make changes accordingly.

Jan 25, 2025 6:26 PM

Jan 25, 2025 7:15 PM

What can you do? It’s a big ‘ole can-o-worms. Just be mindful of your own participation. These are all low-quality, low-value threads. Don’t get discouraged.

Jan 25, 2025 7:15 PM

Jan 25, 2025 9:54 PM

The legal definition of “foreign adversary controlled application” includes Web sites. Therefore it is illegal for an Internet hosting service that is subject to U.S. jurisdiction to provide access to the TikTok Web site to U.S. users as long as the ban is in place. The per-user fines are not as high for illegally distributing the Web site as for illegally distributing the app, but they are still potentially ruinous.


If, as a result, TikTok is hosted only on servers in foreign countries, U.S. visitors to that site might see worse performance. Assuming that the site isn’t firewalled entirely.

Jan 25, 2025 9:54 PM

Jan 25, 2025 10:09 PM

Re: “Now that the current administration has killed the ban”


Trump has not killed the ban. He issued an Executive Order directing the Department of Justice not to enforce the law for 75 days … and to interfere with any State or private attempts to use the courts to enforce the law.


I do not believe that is the same thing as repealing the law or the ban. It seems to me to be basically offering a “get out of jail free card” to those who violate the law during the 75-day period.


Whereas the law survived scrutiny by the Supreme Court, I don’t believe that the Executive Order has faced any judicial review yet, at all. Were Apple and Google to put the app back in their stores now, they would be breaking the law … and if that Executive Order then collapsed, they could be on the hook for ruinous fines.


So far they have chosen to comply with the law, rather than to break it and see if they can get away with it.

Jan 25, 2025 10:09 PM

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