S Poddar
The highly popular video-sharing app TikTok is again up for download in the United States, after a brief removal amidst continued national security discussions. The short-video application, which is owned by Chinese technology giant ByteDance, was restored to Apple’s App Store and Google Play on Thursday, while former President Donald Trump was still weighing its fate in the nation.
TikTok, with millions of users in the US, temporarily vanished from online app stores last month. This preceded a law that took effect on January 19, requiring ByteDance to sell the platform or risk a ban over issues of national security and data privacy.
As a reaction to the development, Trump delayed imposing the ban, giving tech giants such as Apple and Google time to keep the app hosted on their platforms without incurring sanctions. The move has brought respite to the users and content providers who have been depending on the platform for entertainment, social networking, and business opportunities for the meantime.
The current scrutiny of TikTok is driven by fears over data security and possible interference by the Chinese government. US legislators and intelligence agents have sounded alarm over the threat of American users’ data being accessed by other countries, but TikTok has repeatedly denied any such allegations. The firm has insisted on user privacy protection and has moved to enhance transparency in its operations.
In spite of the doubt about its long-term fate in the US, TikTok is still among the most popular social media sites globally. The app’s back in major app stores should soothe worries of its massive users, at least temporarily. The controversy regarding its ownership and implications for national security, though, is yet to be settled as policymakers still discuss whether tougher regulation or outright sale should be imposed.
For now, TikTok enthusiasts can breathe a sigh of relief as they regain access to the platform, but the future of the app in the US remains a topic of intense debate.
