TikTok blocked in the USA: Trump vows to revive platform
Millions of Americans lost access to TikTok over the weekend after the app was blocked in the United States and removed from Android and Apple app stores. Users now see a message stating: "A law banning TikTok has been enacted in the US." But US President-elect Donald Trump is determined to keep TikTok safe.
The ban follows a US Supreme Court ruling that upheld legislation requiring ByteDance, TikTok's Chinese parent company, to divest its US operations. US authorities have long alleged that ByteDance shares data with the Chinese government, raising national security concerns.
Save TikTok!
But Trump wants to give TikTok a future. Save TikTok!" the future US president wrote on his own social media platform Truth Social on Sunday. He later announced that on Monday, after being sworn in, he would issue an executive order to suspend the law banning the app in the United States (US). Trump also suggested that TikTok would be 50 per cent owned by US shareholders.
Meanwhile, interest in acquiring TikTok's US operations remains high. Perplexity AI has reportedly made an offer to ByteDance, although any deal could exclude TikTok's highly sought-after algorithm that drives user engagement.
RedNote
While TikTok remains offline, American social media users are exploring alternatives such as RedNote, another Chinese app. Unlike TikTok, RedNote offers a rich interface with videos, photos, text posts, discussion forums and integrated shopping features.
RedNote, which was previously aimed primarily at Chinese users, has seen a surge in English-speaking users, prompting the company to develop tools for moderating and translating content. With over 300 million active users worldwide, RedNote could prove to be a viable alternative for TikTok enthusiasts.
Lemon8
Another alternative platform is Lemon8, a lifestyle community app also owned by ByteDance. Initially launched in Japan in 2020, it recently claimed the second spot in the Apple App Store rankings, just behind RedNote. The app enables TikTok users to transfer their account handles and data seamlessly.
© AFP
