As Americans scrambled to other social media platforms to lament the less-than-24-hour loss of TikTok in the States, many in the rest of the world commented on how the platform felt different without the US’s outsized influence — and now they’re back!
update january 19, 2025 at 9:59 a.m. pt
Seemingly within minutes of President-Elect Trump’s Sunday social media post confirming his intention to offer TikTok a 90-day stay of execution, as it were, the company started returning the platform to Americans.
“In agreement with our service providers, TikTok is in the process of restoring service,” the company wrote on X. “We thank President Trump for providing the necessary clarity and assurance to our service providers that they will face no penalties providing TikTok to over 170 million Americans and allowing over 7 million small businesses to thrive.”
“It’s a strong stand for the First Amendment and against arbitrary censorship,” the company continued. “We will work with President Trump on a long-term solution that keeps TikTok in the United States.”
STATEMENT FROM TIKTOK:
In agreement with our service providers, TikTok is in the process of restoring service. We thank President Trump for providing the necessary clarity and assurance to our service providers that they will face no penalties providing TikTok to over 170…
— TikTok Policy (@TikTokPolicy) January 19, 2025
@TikTokPolicy
With TikTok already returning, Americans were without the platform — and TikTok was without Americans — for less than 24 hours. But it was certainly enough to still make a huge impact on both groups, with Americans mourning their (temporary) loss and the world marveling at how different the platform was without them.
See below for more.
original story january 19, 2025 at 9:29 a.m. pt
TikTok’s Chinese owners Bytedance got ahead of the pending U.S. ban of the popular social media platform by making it dark in the States on Saturday. “Sorry, TikTok isn’t available right now,” was the message its 170 million American users were met with.
“A law banning TikTok has been enacted in the U.S.,” the message continued. “Unfortunately, that means you can’t use TikTok for now. We are fortunate that President Trump has indicated that he will work with us on a solution to reinstate TikTok once he takes office. Please stay tuned!”
TikTok Star Shared Post About How He’d Be Remembered Before Death at 31
View Story
The app was scheduled to be banned on Sunday following the passage of the Protecting Americans from Foreign Adversary Controlled Applications Act, but incoming President Trump has promised to look at a possible six-month grace period that could see it return as soon as Monday when he takes office.
In the meantime, though, United States is without one of its most popular escapes, which sent millions and millions of people to other social media platforms to lament its absence, including some of TikTok’s biggest influencers … and earners.
TikToker James Charles reacts to TikTok going dark:
“Now I’m rooting for Trump? Make America great again, I guess.”
James Charles has 38 million followers on TikTok. pic.twitter.com/Id6KwuLVgP
— Charlie Kirk (@charliekirk11) January 19, 2025
@charliekirk11
As compiled by TMZ, James Charles perhaps speaks for several of them when he said on Instagram, “Now I’m rooting for Trump?! Ew! God, like Make America f**king Great again I guess. God!”
It seems like their pleas for clemency (at least temporarily) will be heard as Trump took to his own Truth Social to emphasize that he plans to “issue an executive order on Monday to extend the period of time before the law’s prohibitions take effect, so that we can make a deal to protect our national security.”
X/Getty
The View Cohosts Defend Michelle Obama’s Decision to Skip Donald Trump’s Inauguration
View Story
On Sunday, Trump further confirmed his commitment into looking into the matter, posting, “I’m asking companies not to let TikTok stay dark. I would like the United States to have a 50% ownership position in a joint venture.”
Trump also emphasized “there will be no liability for any company that helped keep TikTok from going dark before my order.” It was out of concern for this that Google and Apple removed the app from their stores, as well.
The stipulations in place are that Bytedance must divest its ownership of the platform, allowing an American company to take over. Influencer MrBeast has (perhaps playfully) suggested he’s interested in buying it, while Elon Musk has said he’s looking into bringing back TikTok predecessor Vine.
Queensland Police/Getty
Influencer Charged with Poisoning 1-Year-Old Baby, Sharing Video Online for Views, Donations
View Story
Yesterday, TikTok went dark in the U.S.
Today, Trump announced:
“I’ll issue an executive order to extend the timeline, save TikTok, and give America a 50% ownership stake in a joint venture because, without U.S. approval, there’s no TikTok. With approval, it’s worth trillions!”… pic.twitter.com/6CBaQT1yQV
— Alex Kazakov (@ka_zakov) January 19, 2025
@ka_zakov
And while all of this is being discussed, TikTok remains unavailable in the United States, creating an interesting dichotomy online. Americans have flocked to X and Instagram and other platforms to lament their loss.
At the same time, the rest of the world is experiencing TikTok without any posts or comments from America — which is proving to be very different for them. And for many of them, they’re posting that they kind of like how much quieter and kinder the platform is now. Apparently, some stereotypes carry onto digital platforms, as well!
Here are some of the best reactions we’ve spotted online of both the U.S. response to losing TikTok and the rest of the world’s response to losing Americans during what may prove to be little more than a day without … which to some of these users is apparently a lifetime!
Getty/TikTok
Kelly Osbourne Tells Celebrities Using LA Fires as ‘Photo Op’ to ‘Go Home’
View Story
NOOOOOOO TIKTOK ISNT WORKING ITS GONE NO GIVE IT BACK TO ME pic.twitter.com/0YRJKUDl8i
— judy (@inkedkoos) January 19, 2025
@inkedkoos
Me going over to sorry ass Instagram reels since TikTok passed away: pic.twitter.com/RjlE9uX6F5
— Mel ✨ (@melbrown00) January 19, 2025
@melbrown00
how it feels coming back to twitter cause tiktok is banned and all the other apps aren’t as funny pic.twitter.com/zQBPIfXA3M
— BWAAP (@enocbwaap) January 19, 2025
@enocbwaap
i forgot jus opened tiktok cus muscle memory lorddddd💔💔💔 pic.twitter.com/mCd45lVLuN
— ⁷ (@joontsm) January 19, 2025
@joontsm
Nothing is more American than banning TikTok before AR-15s pic.twitter.com/fbXygCyZaC
— David Leavitt 🎲🎮🧙♂️🌈 (@David_Leavitt) January 17, 2025
@David_Leavitt
i keep instinctively opening TikTok..pic.twitter.com/5oMQnCJmkg
— Cᴀʀᴛɪᴇʀ. (@CartiersSaint) January 19, 2025
@CartiersSaint
Omgggg even a vpn doesn’t work to access TikTok pic.twitter.com/6AiwXG8FJu
— 118 🚒 (@1llicitBuck) January 19, 2025
@1llicitBuck
scrolling twitter because tiktok is gone but every tweet is about tiktok pic.twitter.com/JGbBKxukih
— nova (@comfypill) January 19, 2025
@comfypill
Me opening tiktok every 3 minutes forgetting that it’s banned pic.twitter.com/lyX5QYc1xj
— thomas (@tlanese777) January 19, 2025
@tlanese777
The land of the free really just banned Tiktok pic.twitter.com/Z5becj7uba
— moose 🐦🔥 (@usermooseontwt) January 19, 2025
@usermooseontwt
this is what the tiktok ban feels like pic.twitter.com/l9Ha2zLLv5
— nostalgia (@whyrev) January 19, 2025
@whyrev
the tiktok withdrawals are starting pic.twitter.com/YThiGJaM7L
— alex (@userctrI) January 19, 2025
@userctrI
please come back americans 😢 pic.twitter.com/ejPKCHZNPP
— 𝜗jade anh𝜚 (@jadeyanh_) January 19, 2025
@jadeyanh_
this one is taking me out too and i just opened tiktok then remembered your tweet so i came to share. pic.twitter.com/DPOUz0L0ht
— mo (@filled_popcorn) January 19, 2025
@filled_popcorn
for everyone asking how tiktok is now without ameeicans its pretty quiet pic.twitter.com/G9pxCQenOp
— bangtan⁷🍉 (@myonlyoona) January 19, 2025
@myonlyoona
If you’re wondering what tiktok looks like now with no americans pic.twitter.com/a5B3prLQq0
— gamb – gamblord.bsky.social (@DrewGamblord) January 19, 2025
@DrewGamblord
And if i said Tiktok is so much better without the Americans…? pic.twitter.com/pK03qMORrR
— ⋆.ೃ࿔* II ѵαℓ (@BjorkSprite) January 19, 2025
@BjorkSprite
Tiktok is actually so peaceful without americans.. pic.twitter.com/d8DlAHQ1Ba
— sho ᝰ.ᐟ (@quacki5y) January 19, 2025
@quacki5y
Went on TikTok for an hour without the Americans
– It was so quiet, no hate, no annoying discourses, no nothing
– Funny tik toks making fun of the Americans
– I can actually see my interests now, my yaoi and yuri, etc fyp is SAVED
– No american vs Africans and Caribbean videos pic.twitter.com/qOzHS8h5P4— tan~nie .ᐟ ♠️ 波加曼 #0393 🎭 (@yeontan070) January 19, 2025
@yeontan070
Honestly, TikTok is way better without the Americans…. I’ll say it. no annoying dances in public places, no politics. Just people being funny for the sake of being funny, don’t care about their monetization.
I do miss me some @LumpyOatmealTTV though.
— Anthony Fortunaso (@Fortunax22) January 19, 2025
@Fortunax22
Tiktok is at its peak without americans 👏👏 pic.twitter.com/fcDfQi3JSM
— huss. Free Palestine 🇵🇸 (@huss9841) January 19, 2025
@huss9841
TikTok gonna be so shit without America omg we ran that app pic.twitter.com/Nj5ZtjdQ4I
— ViiChynaa (@ViLettuce) January 19, 2025
@ViLettuce
real talk tho: tiktok is dead without americans. everyone thought it would just kinda stay the same but no one realized america made up most of our fyp. I made a video asking what ppl thought and they’re saying “it feels like walking into a big building but no ones there”
— 🕸️☽ 𝖒𝖆𝖊 ☾🕸️ (@CryptiicCutie) January 19, 2025
@CryptiicCutie
rest in pieces to tiktok in america i know this app boutta be boring as hell without yall
— itsjulie 🍉 (@JulieMeme) January 19, 2025
@JulieMeme
America without TikTok: pic.twitter.com/z6Cy4NUspk
— Siraj Hashmi (@SirajAHashmi) January 19, 2025
@SirajAHashmi
