On Jan. 19, 2025, the U.S. government planned to issue a nationwide ban of TikTok. Supporters cited national concerns over data privacy and security as the primary causes, but TikTok denied those claims. At approximately 10 p.m. Eastern Standard Time on Jan. 18, the app went dark hours before the scheduled time.
President Donald Trump promised to work on a solution and bring TikTok back. On Jan. 19, a message greeted users:
“Welcome back! Thanks for your patience and support. As a result of President Trump’s efforts, TikTok is back in the U.S.! You can continue to create, share and discover all the things you love on TikTok.”
Although TikTok’s features started working, iPhone and Android users could not download the app again until Feb. 13. People who already had TikTok on their phones could still use it, but anyone who removed it lost access.
The 12-hour TikTok ban sparked mixed reactions from ULM students.
Romi Shrestha, a freshman pre-nursing student, said she didn’t feel concerned about the ban.
“I didn’t feel that much affected due to the banning thing. I switched to Instagram and started using it. It’s pretty much like TikTok,” Shrestha said.
Freshman computer science major Arhyael Zoaka also did not mind the ban.
“For me, it was like a random app to scroll out whenever I’m bored. It’s all about mini videos which I can even watch on YouTube Shorts even if the TikTok got banned,” Zoaka said.
However, some students felt the temporary loss more deeply.
Indal Das, a sophomore actuarial science student, felt relieved when TikTok returned.
“It felt like a sudden plot twist. One moment, TikTok was gone, and everyone was wondering what’s next. Then just like that, it was back. The quick restoration was a mix of relief and surprise, like almost losing something big but getting it back before reality even sets in.”
Jiara Sheppard, a sophomore psychology major, felt overjoyed when TikTok came back.
“My mom saw on Facebook that it was back, so I went to the app. To my amazement, TikTok had resurrected. I screamed with joy!”
Now, TikTok users can create and post videos without restrictions, but the brief ban left some people questioning the app’s future in the U.S.
