Relieved US TikTok enthusiasts hope 'magic' returns as app is restored

Doyinsola Oladipo - Reuters - 20/01
On Saturday night, for the first time in five years, millions of American TikTok users who logged on for a late-night scroll were met with an unwelcome notice that their beloved app had been banned and shut down.
  • Trump reverses previous stance, saves TikTok from ban
  • Users worry about potential changes in TikTok ownership
  • Content creators express distrust in government over TikTok ban
NEW YORK, Jan 19 (Reuters) - On Saturday night, for the first time in five years, millions of American TikTok users who logged on for a late-night scroll were met with an unwelcome notice that their beloved app had been banned and shut down.
Their exile lasted less than 24 hours, ending when the Chinese-owned company restored service on Sunday after President-elect Donald Trump, who returns to power on Monday, said he would revive U.S. access. But the TikTok masses had already started contemplating life without the app that has captivated nearly half of all Americans.
As users returned, some cringed at sappy goodbyes posted before the shutdown or thanked Trump on social media site X, while others wondered whether the TikTok world would ever be the same again.
"We're back but at what cost?" one user mused on the platform.
Trump's action to save TikTok, owned by ByteDance, represents a reversal from his first term in office. In 2020, he aimed to ban the short-video app over concerns the company could share Americans' personal info with the Chinese government.
More recently, Trump has said he has "a warm spot in my heart for TikTok," crediting the app with helping him win over young voters in the 2024 election.
TikTok stopped working for U.S. u...
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