Kelsey McGovern, Staff Writer

Throughout the past few months, conversation regarding TikTok has been circulating, raising questions about whether or not the app will be banned. In April, lawmakers proposed banning TikTok due to suspicious spying by the Chinese government. The Supreme Court decided that if TikTok remained owned by ByteDance, a Beijing-based company, the shutdown would take effect on Jan. 19, 2025. The app was not deleted off users’ phones, but a disclaimer was put on the app on Saturday night, Jan. 18, saying TikTok is not available for users in the United States at this time. The app went dark for approximately 14 hours. Donald Trump was sworn into office on Jan. 20, 2025, with hopes to save TikTok. President Trump said he has the power to shut down the app or continue it for the 170 million American users. On Sunday, Jan. 19, TikTok was restored, sparking conversation to prevent the ban of TikTok. 

On Jan. 20, President Trump issued a 75-day extension order, but said it “requires evidence that parties working to arrange a sale of TikTok to a US-owned company have made significant progress,” according to CNN Business. ByteDance has stated they are not looking to change ownership. This executive order consists of ordering the United States Attorney General to not go through with the ban by communicating through letters that companies will not be punished if they still work with or support TikTok. The federal legislation states that companies that aid users in accessing TikTok could be fined $5,000; although this is not in Trump’s order. 

In President Trump’s first term, he was vocal about banning TikTok; now, however, he is not concerned with banning the app and looks to save it. The extension is set to end on April 5, 2025. Questions are being made on whether or not Trump has the power to initiate such a ban. On USA TODAY, they refer to prosecutorial discretion which allows the government to ultimately decide on laws applying to companies. 

If users had TikTok downloaded before the ban on Jan. 18, 2025, the app still remains on their device able to be used. However, the app is not in the Apple App Store to be downloaded. In Joe Biden’s term he issued a Protecting Americans from Foreign Adversary Controlled Applications Act to protect the United States from security threats. ByteDance, the owner of TikTok, has responded to such claims saying they are not giving user data to the Chinese government. ByteDance was given until Jan. 19, 2025 to divest of the app, which they failed to do, causing the app to go “dark”.