‘Lasted longer than Selena Gomez’s Instagram break’: Internet reacts as TikTok gets restored in the US after 14-hour ban

TikTok is back up and running in the United States, thanks to President-elect Donald Trump’s assurance that service providers won’t face any penalties for offering the app. The app was temporarily available due to a law that was set to ban it over national security concerns last spring by President Joe Biden, but Trump’s pledge has paved the way for its return. After days of suspense, the brief TikTok ban lasted a mere 14 hours, sparking a flurry of memes on social media, with many joking that it still lasted longer than Selena Gomez’s Instagram break.

Internet reacts to TikTok’s brief ban in the US

The TikTok ban in the United States may have been short-lived, but it’s certainly had a lasting impact on social media. The 14-hour ban has sparked a wave of hilarious reactions on social media, with users poking fun at the brief but dramatic restriction. One popular joke doing the rounds is that the TikTok ban lasted longer than Selena Gomez’s Instagram breaks. For those who may not be aware, the singer-actress is notorious for taking ‘breaks’ from social media, which usually last a few hours.

Drop Pop, a pop culture page on X, reacted to TikTok being restored in the US in just 14 hours, writing, “TikTok was banned for only 14 and a half hours, lasting longer than Selena Gomez’s Instagram breaks.”

 Reacting to the post, one user wrote, “Y’all did not have to come for her like that,” while another added, “Guess TikTok’s ban was more permanent than Selena’s.”

 “That’s pretty funny! TikTok being banned for just 14 and a half hours is a reminder of how quickly social media platforms can be restricted and then quickly restored. It’s also a playful comparison to Selena Gomez’s Instagram breaks, which seem to be a recurring trend. Both incidents show how much attention social media and celebrity actions grab, whether it’s a ban or a break!” added a third.

Check out some more reactions to US’ TikTok ban below:

TikTok thanks ‘President Trump’ for restoring services in the US

The social media application shared a tweet after the brief ban, saying it was in the process of restoring services in the United States and thanked President-elect Donald Trump “for providing necessary clarity and assurance” to their service providers.

“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,” the statement from the company read.

It added, “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.”

TikTok is still banned in India

 While TikTok may have restored its services in the US, it’s still banned in India. The short video-sharing platform was banned in India on June 29, 2020, due to concerns over national security and data privacy. The Indian government banned 59 Chinese apps, including TikTok, under Section 69A of the Information Technology Act, which allows the government to block apps that threaten India’s sovereignty, defense, or public order.