While millions of Americans have been scrambling in the last couple of weeks with the looming threat of TikTok—a popular video format social media platform—being banned on Jan. 19, a deeper political strategy was at play.
The app went dark in the evening of Jan. 18, with a message on TikTok that read, “Sorry TikTok isn’t available right now. A law banning TikTok has been enacted in the U.S. Unfortunately, that means you can’t use TikTok for now. We are fortunate that President Trump has indicated that he will work with us on a solution to reinstate TikTok once he takes office. Please stay tuned!”
In the afternoon of the next day, many opened the app to find the app had been reinstated.
“Welcome back,” the message said. “Thank you for your patience and support. As a result of President Trump’s efforts, TikTok is back in the U.S.!”
Many were shocked at the message from TikTok promoting politics, something that has not been done before. It was even more shocking because Donald Trump had been the one to introduce the ban of TikTok five years prior.
Since 2020, the threat of banning TikTok slowly faded away from the back of American minds when efforts to ban the app were unsuccessful.
Trump originally proposed the ban in August of 2020 and gave the app 90 days to be sold to an American company, but no company was successful in buying the app and TikTok later sued the Trump administration.
TikTok has had several allegations of violating child privacy laws and paid a $5.7 million fine in 2019. This was the start of the government looking into the app and trying to ban it.
In March of 2023, TikTok CEO Shou Zi Chew asserted that TikTok was not being used by the Chinese government at a congressional hearing.
In April, a bill stating that TikTok must be sold to an American company under threat of ban was signed by Joe Biden.
In the summer, both presidential candidates Trump and Kamala Harris joined TikTok to reach younger voters and used the platform for their presidential campaigns.
After Trump was elected last November, he urged legislators to hold off on the ban until he was officially in office.
Users who deleted the app still won’t be able to access TikTok because it was taken off of the app store. The app can no longer receive updates, and eventually it will crash and no longer be usable.
Since the app has been back, it doesn’t seem the same. Many have noticed that there are Meta ads, including Facebook and Instagram, which you can now link your TikTok account to. Users are also noticing that the quality of videos is no longer the same and their pages are different. There is suspicion that the app was sold to Meta, but there has been no confirmation.
In another odd situation, Chew was reposting Trump MAGA videos on his page before the app went dark.
“I want to thank President Trump for his commitment to work with us to find a solution that keeps TikTok available in the U.S.,” Chew said in a video before the ban.
Chew has since removed “TikTok CEO” from his bio on the app.
Using the social media platform that has been a space for free speech to promote political propaganda strips the app of what it once was. The app is still banned, but is promoting a political figure who only delayed the app being officially banned in the U.S. He is now being glorified on the app as its savior in a hope to appeal to younger Americans.
While TikTok is a social media platform, it has been used as a space to create, share and speak freely while connecting users from around the world.
TikTok has been used, mainly by Gen-Z, to promote social change. The Black Lives Matter movement took off in 2020 and inspired many to organize protests and call their representatives to make help protect minorities. People have connected, made friends, watched the news and kept up to date on current events and more.
Even influencers, musicians and small businesses who became famous and known on TikTok now must move to other platforms in case the app is banned even though a lot of their money and recognition come from the app.
TikTok being banned is proof that the government can control an app. Chew had two choices: to not have the app in America or to sell out. It became clear on what he chose, especially with his appearance at Trump’s inauguration ceremony. America didn’t make the app, nor should they claim credit for its success. TikTok has been about connection and community but now it is only seen as an example of what happens when a billionaire becomes the president of a superpower country.
Chew may have done what he thought would save the app, but instead sold the app’s integrity and dignity along with the rights.
“To our American users, thank you for making our TikTok community such a rich and vibrant space,” Chew said in a TikTok video. “Rest assured, we will do everything in our power to ensure our platform thrives.”
Andrea Roberts can be reached at arg-opinion@uidaho.edu.