With the recent TikTok ban, many people wonder what is next with the app. Will it be rebought? Will it go away after the ban has been halted? 

What most people don’t know is the truth behind who truly banned TikTok. 

This all started in July 2020, when Donald Trump was serving his first presidential term. Post Covid, Trump blamed China for the outbreak of the virus. This resulted in him considering a ban on TikTok in retaliation against China. 

In Feb of 2021, newly sworn-in Joe Biden postponed legal plans involved with Trump’s plan to ban TikTok, momentarily halting the ban. 

However, as TikTok gathered more attention in Dec. 2024 the ban was put into place again. 

In Dec.2024, an official TikTok ban was set for Jan. 19. 2025. As the countdown ticked down, people on the internet were in disarray over where they would get their quick, easy entertainment. Many even got their news from TikTok. 

During the panic, people posted thousands of videos relating to the ban. Posting their drafts, addressing controversies, and saying their goodbyes, they wondered where they’d go next. 

People flocked to different apps for entertainment, even “Red Note”, a Chinese social media app, in a last-ditch attempt to be entertained and stay connected. Considering TikTok was being banned due to the controversies around it being owned by a Chinese company, this movement was quite ironic. 

Users were shocked when TikTok was actually banned on the evening of Jan. 18 taking to apps like Instagram and X to post their outrage towards the day. American users were met with a message stating that TikTok was no longer available in the U.S. The app is unavailable in the app store and for users who deleted it, it is only accessible on the web. But, the ban only lasted a short 12 hours before returning to normal for U.S. users. 

When services were restored, users were met with the message “Thanks for your patience and support. As a result of President Trump’s efforts, TikTok is back in the U.S.!”

But what many users don’t know is that the app is only back temporarily for 75 days. The ban has not been stopped, it is only halted. 

So what does the future of the app truly look like? Will it be taken over by an American company under Trump’s orders, or will it yet again be banned? 

These questions will be answered this April, so save your videos while you can.