TikTok returned to the US market just 14 hours after going dark, following President Donald Trump’s promise to pause the impending ban. The app had been set to be shut down amid fears that it was sharing Americans’ data with the Chinese government, an allegation TikTok has denied.
The platform is back up and running, but some features are still unavailable. ByteDance, TikTok’s parent company, operates another popular video-editing app called CapCut, which was also affected by the ban.
CapCut was downloaded 44.7 million times in the US last year, almost as many times as TikTok. However, it is unclear whether its services are available to preexisting users. Newsweek is seeking clarification from ByteDance.
The Protecting Americans From Foreign Adversary Controlled Applications Act, signed by former President Joe Biden, led to the ban on TikTok. The law addresses “any other applications or service development…provided by ByteDance,” potentially affecting CapCut as well.
TikTok’s return has raised questions about whether another app in the firing line, like CapCut, may see a similar reprieve. Instagram announced a new video-editing app called Edits, which is expected to be launched on March 13.
With Trump assuming office, executives and creators will be watching closely for his administration’s stance on the future of ByteDance apps.
Source: https://www.newsweek.com/capcut-banned-tiktok-back-instagram-edits-2017818