TikTok’s return to app stores makes outright ban unlikely

The news: TikTok is once again available for download on Google and Apple’s US app stores after US Attorney General Pam Bondi assured the companies they would not face penalties for hosting it, marking an end to a period of uncertainty following the app’s January ban.

What this means: While there is still no guarantee that the app will remain available in the US after the current April sale deadline, TikTok looks to be on much stronger footing.

• President Donald Trump has signaled support for striking a deal that gives a US company—or the US government itself—partial ownership of the app, and Bondi’s assurances to Google and Apple reflect a desire to keep the app available for US consumers.