The fix is in, and TikTok is now just another implement in Trump and Elon's disinformation machine. Crazy times, our country is literally being run by the top social media platforms.

The AP is supposed to be a neutral source, but they are decidedly right leaning.

There is clear, relevant reporting to be done on how odd the structure of all this is and that the app's self imposed shutdown message specifically praised trump, by name. They buried a photo of it, but I don't see direct text in the article discussing that. They also don't mention the fact that the CEO had been privately meeting with trump recently.

They say Biden had a part in the ban, though he said publicly he would not enforce it - what matters there, that AP doesn't mention, is that the republicans held humanitarian aide to Ukraine hostage back in April, saying they'd block unless the tick tok ban was passed. Laying the groundwork for this hollow attempt to "blame Biden" and position trump as a solution (to a problem he instigated and that republican think tanks engineered).

They do say the CEO will attend and have a "prime seating location" but not clarifying that the seats he'll be in are typically reserved for living past US presidents.

Fucking joke.

Trump hasn't even become president yet, and already they're giving him praises.

Spreading for awareness, I've been posting this in relevant threads for a week - This is all theater.

trump was always going to "save" tik tok after starting the initial push to ban it (for the wrong reasons) to pretend he did something for you. Worst part is that all of the no/low info voters and non voters will eat it up.

It's the equivalent of a person pushing you into the middle of the street and at the very last second, that same person tells the drivers to all stop. "Wow, I owe you my life!"

And now, this adds two layers:

1. You think trump and the Supreme Court are colluding? now they get to say, nah uh!!!! Even though again, this is all convoluted.

2. trump gets to look "stronger" than the "highest court in the land" to help delude the next generation of low info tiktok folks.

P.s. The Chinese "protest" apps that were downloaded are going to mine the FUCK out of these millions of phones in the brief window they have them. Also, when the kids inevitably move back to tiktok, majority of them will still leave these other apps installed on their phones, dormant and collecting indefinitely in the background.

Call me crazy but this feels all like a plan to push the Maga movement, first the "bad democrats" take away the "lovely" tiktok, then "good" trump brings back the beloved "noncensorship" tiktok because he "loves" freedom of speech or smth.

Note that the law does not prohibit TikTok from operating. It prohibits companies like Google and Apple from distributing it, and according to this article, they are in fact not distributing it.

Even as TikTok was flickering back on, it remained unavailable for download in Apple and Google’s app stores.

TikTok shut off voluntarily and that appears to have been an excellent PR move, but we won't know for certain until Trump does or doesn't do something about it in the next few days.

This is more like, yet another PR flattery stunt, that Trump enjoyed in his first term too. Unclear that it means Tik Tok is going to help him get a 3rd term, or censor criticism of him.

There's no way GenZ can possibly be this stupid, right?

I bet the new algorithm will be pushing push far right content to everyone just like Twitter and Meta, this was a stunt to silence the leftists.

Gaza ceasefire and reversed TikTok ban. He's basically won over younger voters before he's even started.

That's totally not fishy at all

Iranian hostages anyone? Look how trump saved the day. He gives them their bread and circuses.

GOOD! I'm looking Forward to Trump RESTORING this App that he said was CHYNESE SPYWARE being used to Hurt Americans!

Ah you pussies. Come on, show them you’re serious. Go dark again. Show them you really mean it and do the rest of the territories too. Forever.

Is this gonna turn out to be trumps version of the Iran hostage crisis sabotage