Social media users braced to lose popular video-sharing app TikTok said their goodbyes ahead of a U.S. ban, only for the app to reappear online as President Donald Trump prepared to take office.
Just 14 hours after the platform voluntarily went dark for millions of American users on Sunday, TikTok returned in the U.S. after Trump promised to pause the impending ban. The platform had been set to be shut down amid U.S. fears that the site was sharing Americans' data with the Chinese government, an allegation TikTok has denied. For now, the platform is back up and running to some extent.
The U-turn has prompted questions over whether another app in the firing line, CapCut, may see a similar reprieve. Newsweek has reached out by email to ByteDance—the Chinese parent company of both TikTok and CapCut—for more information and comment.
What Is CapCut?
CapCut is a free video-editing platform created, owned and operated by ByteDance. It was launched in the U.S. in 2020. It was the second most downloaded photo and video app in the Apple App Store after Instagram, according to USA Today.
In 2023, CapCut was downloaded 44.7 million times in the U.S., which is almost as many times as the 45 million downloads that same year for TikTok, according to Forbes.
Although TikTok is working again on American users' phones, it is still unavailable to download on Apple's App Store or Google Play. Would-be users were told: "TikTok and other ByteDance apps are not available in the country or region you're in."
CapCut was scheduled to go offline along with TikTok, but there is confusion over whether its services are available to preexisting users. Newsweek is seeking clarification from ByteDance.
Why Was CapCut Banned With TikTok?
CapCut was not explicitly named in the Protecting Americans From Foreign Adversary Controlled Applications Act, which was passed by Congress to implement a TikTok ban. However, the legislation does address "any other applications or service development...provided by ByteDance." Therefore, CapCut was also affected by the ban.
On Sunday, TikTok shut itself down across the U.S. because of the new law, which was signed by former President Joe Biden last spring. The government had become alarmed about national security fears, citing concerns that Americans' data was being shared with the Chinese authorities. TikTok has always maintained that it protects its users' privacy and does not share U.S. user data with the Chinese government.
During Trump's first run as president, he flirted with the idea of banning the app, although he never did. Now, he has become the app's unlikely savior.
On Sunday afternoon, TikTok welcomed back users with a notification reading: "Thanks for your patience and support. As a result of President Trump's efforts, TikTok is back in the U.S.!"
The platform also released a statement on Sunday that said: "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 million Americans and allowing over 7 million small businesses to thrive. We will work with President Trump on a long-term solution that keeps TikTok in the United States."
What Is Instagram Edits?
The abrupt reinstatement of TikTok is likely to prove something of a disappointing blow to its rivals.
On Sunday, the same day that the TikTok ban was to take effect, Instagram announced it was launching a new video-editing app called Edits, which would be available to download within the next couple of months.
The Apple Store Preview page says the app, which can be preordered, is expected to drop on March 13.
How Does Instagram's CapCut Rival Work?
According to the Apple Store Preview page, Edits is "a free video editor that makes it easy for creators to turn their ideas into videos, right on their phone. It has all the tools you need to support your creation process, all in one place."
Edits will allow users to create and edit videos, export them to any platform without a watermark and add special effects, such as AI animation and sound effects. Videos can be up to 10 minutes long in 1080 pixels resolution, according to the platform's Apple App Store description.
What Happens Next to ByteDance's Apps?
Now that Trump has assumed office, all eyes will be on the new president to see what his administration decides about the future of the ByteDance apps.
Executives at ByteDance and rival social media companies, as well as TikTok and CapCut creators themselves, will be watching with particular interest.
English (US) ·