Trump Delays TikTok Ban for 75 Days, But Businesses, Gamers, and Influencers May Still Need to Brace for Impact

Just hours into his presidency on Monday, January 20, President Donald Trump signed an executive order that would delay the recent TikTok ban by 75 days.

This extra time will be used to review the application for national security concerns and simultaneously give ByteDance, TikTok’s parent company, more time to find a buyer.

TikTok was down for approximately 12 hours from Saturday into Sunday the past weekend, with services back by midday Sunday for most users. As TikTok worked to get restored in the States, its official X account shared an update.

“In agreement with our service providers, TikTok is in the process of restoring service,” TikTok wrote on X. “It’s a strong stand for the First Amendment and against arbitrary censorship. We will work with President Trump on a long-term solution that keeps TikTok in the United States.”

The ban is part of a larger law that took effect in March 2024, called the Protecting Americans from Foreign Adversary Controlled Applications Act (PAFACAA).

This law is designed to protect U.S. national security from “threat posed by foreign adversary controlled applications, such as TikTok and any successor application or service and any other application or service developed or provided by ByteDance Ltd. or an entity under the control of ByteDance Ltd.”

Interestingly, President Trump was one of the early advocates of banning TikTok in the United States. During his first term in 2020, he issued an executive order saying the app was a national security threat because of its possible connections to the Chinese government and its data collection practices.

Today, President Trump’s 75-day delay brings relief to millions of TikTok users, including influencers, content creators, marketing strategists, small business owners, and even larger corporations.

But all it has done is extend what may be inevitable if TikTok can’t find a non-foreign adversary buyer. And even if TikTok does undergo a buyout, many speculate this is only the beginning — possibly setting a precedent for targeting other foreign-owned apps and services.

TikTok isn’t the only app whose fate is still unknown.

CapCut, a popular video editing app used by content creators, marketers, and businesses, was also briefly down from January 18 to 19 because of its connection to ByteDance.

Some of the most popular games in the world, like League of Legends, World of Warcraft, and Overwatch, could also be at risk, totaling nearly 70 million monthly players in the U.S. These games are owned by subsidiaries of Tencent, a Chinese company.

Unfortunately, Tencent isn’t exactly off to a good start: Just one week into 2025, it has already been heavily sanctioned after being placed on the U.S. Department of Defense’s Chinese Military Companies (CMC) list.

If Tencent ends up facing a ban, the shockwaves would undoubtedly be palpable. But unlike TikTok, these gaming platforms haven’t amassed President Trump nearly 15 million followers — a popular theory as to why he is exploring alternative options for TikTok.

Virtual private networks (VPNs) may be a potential workaround. In fact, more than half a dozen VPN apps were trending on Apple’s App Store this past weekend.

VPNs reroute internet traffic through servers in different locations, which lets users bypass regional restrictions. So, in theory, if TikTok gets banned in the U.S., users could access the app through a different regional server if they use a VPN.

But it requires a couple of extra steps.

Over the weekend, TikTok users went to social media with complaints about being unable to bypass with a VPN. NBC News also tested, without success. It turns out the issue may stem from TikTok’s U.S.-based servers being shut down, which in turn cuts access to accounts tied to American phone numbers.

So, while we won’t know for sure unless the ban is fully enforced, the possible workaround could be using VPNs alongside a non-U.S.-based phone number from apps like Google Voice.

TikTok has become a vital part of the American economy — especially as the gig economy continues to grow and traditional nine-to-five office jobs become less common.

In the U.S. alone, 170 million people and 7 million businesses depend on TikTok for income, which includes content creators, influencers, and small business owners. According to a report by Oxford Economics, TikTok contributed $24.2 billion to the U.S. economy in 2023.

If TikTok is banned in the U.S., that would mean nearly 180 million accounts will need to rebuild their profile and following on another platform. For businesses, in particular, this is a major blow: Many use TikTok as a key tool for reaching new audiences, gathering user data, and running targeted ads.

The potential TikTok ban also raises questions about government intervention and its impact on free markets. Lane Romano, CEO of game hosting provider RocketNode, is one of many with concerns.

“It’s unfair towards the people of the U.S. for our government to attempt the shutdown of any platform like TikTok,” Romano told us. “It undermines the principles of a fair market, and until there is clear evidence of the Chinese using this information against us, there should be no reason to halt the company’s operations regardless of their geographical presence.”

Historically, fearmongering has worked for U.S. policy, and it quickly spills over into content moderation.

Although many argue that social media censorship violates the First Amendment, it’s important to remember that it only applies to government entities, not privately owned platforms. These companies create their terms of service to decide what’s considered inappropriate — which, of course, leaves a lot open to interpretation.

So, while businesses may look to jump ship to platforms like Instagram Reels or YouTube Shorts, it doesn’t really solve the issue of losing TikTok. Meta and Google, for example, have track records of censoring content that doesn’t actually violate their policies.

The harsh reality is that businesses still risk having their posts removed or accounts restricted, no matter where they go. It comes dangerously close to gatekeeping and agenda-setting.

That is, if we haven’t already crossed the line.