Google and Apple have returned the Chinese app TikTok to their app stores in the United States, where it was banned by law two months ago, Politico reports.
- According to reports, Attorney General Pam Bondi sent a letter to Apple assuring the company it would not face fines for violating the law. Shortly after, TikTok reappeared in the App Store. However, the reason for its reinstatement on Google Play remains unclear, as a company representative did not comment on the decision.
- Google and Apple had removed the app from their stores after the TikTok ban took effect in the US on January 19. Since then, users have been unable to download the app, even after President Donald Trump issued an order delaying enforcement of the ban for 75 days.
- The order also required the attorney general to notify service providers that TikTok’s availability would not violate the law and that they would not be held liable. Pam Bondi was sworn into office last Wednesday.
Previously, Trump stated that he was working on a deal to sell TikTok from its Chinese parent company, ByteDance. In recent weeks, he has suggested several possibilities, including a U.S. sovereign wealth fund acquiring the app or a joint venture where the US government would hold a stake alongside ByteDance.
Before TikTok was back in the US, some users found creative ways to profit from the ban. For example, old iPhones with TikTok pre-installed were sold for $3,000. As a reminder, the app was banned over national security concerns, as Chinese companies are legally required to comply with government data transfer requests.
