TikTok’s future in the United States still remains uncertain as legal battles and political decisions continue to shape its fate. Yes, the platform is still operational in the US, but recent developments suggest that its availability in the country could be at risk. Here’s what you need to know about the situation and how to ensure you don’t lose access to your favourite content.
Why Is TikTok Facing a Potential Ban?
Concerns over data privacy and national security have put TikTok under scrutiny from US lawmakers for years. The main issue revolves around its Chinese parent company, ByteDance, and fears that US user data could be accessed by the Chinese government. Nearly 108 million Americans use TikTok, so that's a lot of data. While TikTok has denied these claims, multiple administrations have attempted to either ban or force a sale of the company’s US operations.
In January 2025, the US Supreme Court upheld a law requiring ByteDance to divest TikTok’s US operations by January 19, 2025. This ruling followed concerns about foreign influence and data security risks. However, President-elect Donald Trump signed an executive order granting TikTok an additional 75 days to comply with the divestiture mandate.
Did Trump Overturn the TikTok Ban?
No. His executive order does not revoke the law but instead instructs the US attorney general not to enforce it for now—a move legal experts had anticipated.
This delay gives Trump's administration time to, as the order states, “determine the appropriate course of action.” Meanwhile, he has suggested a possible joint venture, mentioning a 50-50 partnership between “the United States” and ByteDance, though he has not provided details on how such an arrangement would work.
Even after the 75-day period expires, Trump could still allow the law to remain while instructing the Department of Justice (DoJ) to continue ignoring it. In this scenario, the government would be signalling to Apple and Google that they won’t face penalties for keeping TikTok available for download. This would leave the law technically in place but effectively meaningless. However, it remains uncertain whether Apple and Google would continue offering the app under such conditions.
What Does This Mean for TikTok Users?
If ByteDance fails to divest its US operations, the platform could face restrictions, removal from app stores, or even a complete shutdown in the country. That means users won't be able to download the app or any updated versions of it. The law shifts responsibility onto app stores and cloud service providers, prohibiting them from distributing, maintaining, or updating TikTok. Companies that violate these restrictions could face penalties of up to $5,000 per user, a sum that could quickly escalate into the billions, given the platform’s massive user base.
TikTok officials say that users might see a prompt stating the service is no longer available when they try to open the app. This would mirror what happens in India, where TikTok has been banned since 2020.
Another possibility is that the app remains accessible but becomes unstable potentially running slower, experiencing frequent crashes, or functioning inconsistently, according to a TikTok official. So if you already have TikTok on your phone, it's not going to disappear from it.
For content creators, businesses, and casual users who rely on TikTok for entertainment or marketing, this uncertainty raises concerns about losing access to videos, personal content, and audience engagement.
Who Wants to Buy TikTok?
ByteDance has long maintained that TikTok is not for sale but could that change under a new US administration?
When Trump signed his executive order, he claimed, “every rich person has called me” to express interest in acquiring TikTok. Rather than enforcing a strict ban, Trump seems to be looking for a workaround, floating the idea of a joint ownership structure.
He also suggested that TikTok’s value hinges on US approval. According to Trump, the app would be “worthless” without a permit but could be worth “a trillion dollars” if allowed to operate. Among those he’s mentioned as potential buyers is Oracle co-founder Larry Ellison, alongside Elon Musk. The latter has been denied by TikTok.
Other potential buyers include billionaire Frank McCourt and Kevin O’Leary, the Canadian investor known from Shark Tank. YouTube’s biggest star, Jimmy Donaldson, better known as MrBeast, has also claimed interest after receiving offers from investors.
Meanwhile, a US search engine called Perplexity AI has reportedly proposed merging with TikTok. And back in March 2024, Trump’s former Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said he was assembling a group to buy the app, though it’s unclear if that effort is still active.
How to Preserve Your Favourite TikTok Videos
First of all, download your data directly from TikTok. And if you’re worried about losing access to TikTok, it’s a good idea to back up your favourite content. One of the most effective ways to do this is by using 4K Tokkit, a desktop application designed to download TikTok videos in bulk.
4K Tokkit is a powerful tool available for Windows, macOS, and Linux that allows users to:
- Download TikTok videos from specific accounts, hashtags, or individual posts.
- Save content in high quality without watermarks.
- Download videos that contain the same songs.
- Automatically download new videos from selected creators or hashtags.
- Store videos offline for future access, even if TikTok is no longer available.
All you have to do is to install 4K Tokkit on your computer and enter the hashtag, user handle, or a music track into the search field. You can also back up your entire TikTok account.
Does VPN Work If TikTok Is Banned in the US?
One of the most talked-about ways to bypass a potential TikTok ban is using a virtual private network (VPN), which masks a user’s location by making it appear as though they are accessing content from another country. This may work since even if the app stops working on your phone, you may still be able to access it through a VPN on a web browser.
Other workarounds include downloading TikTok outside the Google and Apple app stores through methods known as "sideloading" and "jailbreaking." However, these approaches come with risks as Apple, for instance, does not honour warranties for jailbroken iPhones.
