TikTok 'restoring service' after going dark during hours long ban

MILWAUKEE (CBS 58) --TikTok users are rejoicing now that the app was restored late Sunday morning.

This is after President-elect Trump promised he would delay the ban.

"For many users, this is going to be their first experience with a ban," said Michael Zimmer, Marquette University professor of computer science.

TikTok was scheduled to go dark on Sunday after the Supreme Court upheld a ban on the Chinese-owned platform.

"In some ways I kind of think they wanted it to come to this moment where all of a sudden we wake up and we aren't able to use this," said Zimmer.

But after only 14 hours, the app was restored.

Saying on X, 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 for providing TikTok to over 170 million Americans and allowing over 7 million small businesses to thrive.

In the wake of the ban, millions of Americans flocked to new social media platforms like Red Note.

"Very similar to TikTok but run by a different company and almost has no scrutiny at all," said Zimmer.

Red Note is another Chinese-owned company.

"We now have users using an app that could actually put them at equal if not more risk than TikTok," said Zimmer.

While TikTok will still be forced to find an American buyer, it raises questions about the security risks of other foreign-owned companies.

"It certainly draws a line in terms of what could happen next and there are other apps that maybe this could apply to as well," Zimmer explained.

Just hours before TikTok was restored, President-elect Trump posted on Truth Social, calling for the app to remain available.

President-elect Trump says will issue an executive order on Monday to extend the period of time before the law takes effect.