On Jan 18, 2025, the United States banned TikTok on all devices, only to be unbanned a day later. People were concerned about this ban because many rely on TikTok for entertainment, and many small businesses use it for advertising. Without TikTok, people are worried that many businesses would fail.
In 2020, Trump passed an executive order that forced ByteDance (the owner of TikTok) to sell off TikTok to a US company. It was reversed in 2021 by Biden. Then in 2024, a law was signed that stated that TikTok would be banned if they did not sell. However, Trump signed a bill to extend 90 days to sell.
TikTok tried to sue for its rights, saying a ban on its platform would violate free speech, but the Supreme Court struck down its suit.
Many in the US government are concerned that TikTok could be used as a propaganda wing for China. Most TikTok users responded by downloading and using Red Note, a TikTok-like app directly owned by the CCP. Even with Trump’s extension, TikTok was removed from the app store. However, on Feb 13, 2025, TikTok was fully unbanned from the app store.
Many people think that this was a publicity stunt for President Trump as he was once for Banning TikTok, and for him to switch like that seems very suspicious. “This totally just screams propaganda to get the youths’ vote or affection to me,” a Rosemont student, who wishes to remain anonymous, claimed.
Another theory for his sudden change in attitude is the Financial benefit. Jeff Yass is a billionaire and a very heavy donor of the Trump campaign. He is also a heavy owner of ByteDance stock. As described in Fortune magazine, “Cofounder of investment company and trading firm Susquehanna International Group, Yass has an estimated net worth just shy of $50 billion. Much of the Pennsylvania-based billionaire’s wealth is tied up in no other than TikTok… He, alongside wife Janine Yass, were No. 6 in top contributors to the election, contributing in total more than $96 million to Republican cause…” Many have the idea that Trump may be doing a deal with Jeff Yass, in which Trump gets money to get elected, while Jeff Yass gets to have TikTok unbanned, improving his stock.
Others also feel that this ban is being used to distract people from the real issues of American politics. If politicians like Trump get Americans drummed up about TikTok, they could hide something more insidious.
