Why did TikTok become the world's most controversial app?

On April 4, US President Donald Trump officially extended TikTok's stay in the US. This is the second time Mr. Trump has intervened to promote a deal to transfer ownership of this controversial application.

The announcement was made via the social media platform Truth Social, where Mr. Trump emphasized that the TikTok deal "needs more time to complete the necessary approval steps."

With this new decision, TikTok will have an additional 75 days to continue operating in the US, meaning the deadline will be pushed back to mid-June.

The US isn't the first major market to slam the door on TikTok. Earlier in 2020, India banned the platform outright, removing some 200 million users, citing similar concerns about data sovereignty and security.

Several other countries and regions, such as the UK and the European Union, have also imposed partial restrictions, banning the installation of TikTok on devices of government and military personnel.

In the US, many states and federal agencies have issued similar bans, though TikTok continues to grow rapidly. Last year, the app was downloaded 52 million times in the US and a total of 733 million times worldwide, bringing its total user base to more than 2 billion.

Despite being blocked in India, its most populous market, TikTok only slowed down for a moment, then quickly regained its growth momentum.

According to a survey by the US Pew Research Center last year, TikTok has emerged as the fastest-growing platform in the US, as more adults, beyond the previously dominant teenage age group, have started using the app.

Notably, about a third of Americans aged 18 to 29 used TikTok as a regular news source by 2023, making the video-sharing platform a key information tool for younger generations.

However, TikTok's popularity has also brought growing concern from the government. The US Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) warned that the relationship between ByteDance - TikTok's parent company - and the Chinese government could facilitate content manipulation, potentially spreading harmful propaganda.

The debate over TikTok is not just about national security, but also touches on sensitive issues of freedom of speech. The Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF) said the TikTok ban is "a real security concern wrapped in a thick layer of censorship".

Meanwhile, the US Digital Freedom group also called on the public to oppose government interference in widely used media.

TikTok formally filed a lawsuit with the US Supreme Court in January, alleging that banning the app would mean "shutting down" one of the largest platforms for public expression at a politically sensitive time.

“This bill would silence millions of Americans on the eve of the presidential inauguration,” TikTok warned in court filings, noting that its users were using the platform to discuss politics, commerce, art and other social issues.

Several major companies have expressed interest in TikTok, including Oracle and AppLovin. Amazon also made a last-minute offer to buy the short-video app.

Another strong contender in the race is a consortium of Andreessen Horowitz, Blackstone and other private equity firms that wants to take a majority stake in TikTok in the US after it splits from ByteDance.

Existing investors General Atlantic, Susquehanna, and KKR will own 30% of the shares, while ByteDance will own the remaining 20%. The algorithm will still belong to the Chinese company, but the US investor group will be able to use it through a licensing agreement.

The deal must be approved by the Chinese government before it can be completed.

Still on Truth Social, Mr. Trump affirmed: "Tariffs are the most powerful economic tool and are very important to our national security. We do not want TikTok to stop operating. We look forward to working with TikTok and China to close the transaction."