Featured Image Credit: Matt Cardy/Getty Images
Topics: Donald Trump, Social Media, TikTok, US News, Politics
Britt Jones
Topics: Donald Trump, Social Media, TikTok, US News, Politics
If you are in the US, it’s not good news if you deleted the TikTok app from your smartphone.
What a month it has been for the US.
Not only were they told that TikTok was going to be banned forever, but they were made to look like fools just moments before the US went dark for 12 hours on the app as it was temporarily banned.
If you didn’t get to watch the chaos that ensued, here’s a rundown.
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Commonwealth countries such as the UK, Canada, and Australia were enjoying the utter peace and quiet on the app as Americans were booted off the app, but not before we saw influencers destroy their careers within seconds.
That’s because in a panic, many took to the app to post what they believed was a final video, and it more often than not explained how they had built their platform based on lies.
A woman known for making amazing icecubes? Never used them.
A woman who gave tips on the perfect cup of coffee? Doesn’t like coffee.
It just kept getting worse and worse the more we watched.
However, for those who were impatient during the 12-hour blackout and deleted the app, it’s bad news.
Many US citizens can now access the app after President Donald Trump issued an update on TikTok and extended the timeline for the band. Trump had expressed his plan to restore the app, saying he would try to find a 'political resolution', according to Sky News, adding that he had a 'warm spot in his heart for TikTok'.
When he was sworn into office, he then gave an executive order revealed to grant TikTok an extension so that it could find a buyer.
However, despite President Trump's executive order on Monday 20 January to temporarily lift the federal ban for around 75 days, Apple and Google have not reinstated the app on their stores.
Sadly, this means that people who jumped the gun and deleted the app as soon as they realised they couldn’t access it, will no longer be able to re-download it.
Right now, if users search for TikTok on the App Store, they’ll see a message stating: “TikTok and other ByteDance apps are not available in the country or region you’re in.”
Google Play states: “Downloads for this app are paused due to current US legal requirements.”
Because of the uncertainty of whether or not the app stores will allow the app back on its platforms, it’s caused people to become desperate.
Some of people who want to get back on to TikTok have attempted to get the app back through buying smartphones on sites such as Ebay which are selling mobile phones which have the app already downloaded to it.
Shockingly, the prices for these phones can reach up to 50k, which is obscene.
But the things we do for our apps.
legal protections or further guidance from the Trump administration.