TikTok ban US: Trump may give 90-day reprieve on Jan 20, app gears for farewell, users seek alternatives
As of January 19, 2025, TikTok has been removed from U.S. app stores and is currently inaccessible to its 170 million American users due to a federal baThis action follows the Supreme Court’s decision to uphold the Foreign Adversary Controlled Applications Act, which mandates that TikTok’s Chinese parent company, ByteDance, divest its U.S. operations by January 19 to address national security concer
In response to the ban, President-elect Donald Trump has indicated he will “most likely” grant a 90-day extension after taking office on January 20, allowing ByteDance additional time to negotiate a sale to a U.S.-based entity.
Despite this potential reprieve, TikTok preemptively disabled its services in the U.S., notifying users of the app’s temporary unavailabili
The uncertainty surrounding TikTok’s future has prompted many users to seek alternative platforms. Apps such as RedNote (also known as Xiaohongshu), Lemon8, Clapper, and Flip have experienced a surge in downloads as users migrate to new spaces for content creation and sharing.
This migration has led to the viral use of the hashtag “#tiktokrefugee” among communities adapting to these new platforms.
While the potential 90-day extension offers a glimmer of hope for TikTok’s return, the platform’s future in the U.S. remains uncertain. Users and creators are advised to stay informed about developments and consider diversifying their online presence across multiple platforms to mitigate the impact of such disruptions.
By – Kartik
