Last weekend we saw TikTok narrowly avoid being removed from the App Store and Google Play as part of a ban ordered by President Trump, and now it looks like the popular app has avoided being banned again at the last minute.
Judge Carl Nichols today granted a preliminary injunction that blocks the US government from banning downloads of TikTok (via The New York Times). The ban was set to take effect at midnight tonight, September 27, but now TikTok will continue to be available on iOS and Android.
However, Judge Nichols' decision does not affect a broader ban on TikTok that will make the app stop working for US users if the company doesn't address the government's security concerns by November 12.
TikTok argued in its request for a preliminary injunction that a ban on the app would affect new users' rights to share their views.
Here's what TikTok had to say in response to Judge Nichols' decision tonight:
"We’re pleased that the court agreed with our legal arguments and issued an injunction preventing the implementation of the TikTok app ban. We will continue defending our rights for the benefit of our community and employees. At the same time, we will also maintain our ongoing dialogue with the government to turn our proposal, which the president gave his preliminary approval to last weekend, into an agreement."
Trump has been threatening to ban TikTok since the end of July, expressing concerns that the app is sending data on US users to China, where TikTok owner ByteDance is located. The president also attempted to ban WeChat over similar national security concerns, but that ban was also blocked by a federal judge.
Meanwhile, TikTok recently confirmed that it's struck a deal with Oracle and TikTok that will address the US government's security concerns. Oracle would become TikTok's "trusted cloud and technology provider" for securing user data as part of the deal.