TikTok Allows Android Users In The US To Download Apps Via Their Website

TikTok allows Android users in the United States to download its application directly on its official website. (photo: x @tiktok_us)

JAKARTA TikTok now allows Android users in the United States to download its app directly through installation packages on its official website. This is an effort to avoid restrictions imposed on the popular short video platform.

Apple and Google have not returned TikTok to their app stores since US law came into effect on January 19. The regulation requires ByteDance, owner of TikTok from China, to sell the app for national security reasons or face bans in the US.

President Donald Trump, who took office the day after the law was enacted, signed an executive order to postpone the 75-day ban.

Trump also said that he was in discussions with various parties regarding the possible acquisition of TikTok and would make a decision this month. Currently, TikTok has around 170 million users in the United States.

On Monday, February 3, Trump signed another executive order to set up a national investment fund within a year. The fund has the potential to buy TikTok, as an alternative step to keep apps available to US users.

US officials fear the potential misuse of American user data by ByteDance. However, advocates for freedom of expression against this ban consider it an unfair limitation of freedom of expression.

TikTok denies the allegations, stating that its content recommendation system and US user data are stored on a cloud server operated by Oracle. In addition, content moderation decisions for US users are also made domestically, not in China.

TikTok's move to provide live download packages from its website signifies the company's efforts to maintain access to users amid legal uncertainty over the future of its apps in the United States.