TikTok has announced that, in an effort to bypass restrictions in the U.S., it is allowing Android users in the country to download and access the app through package kits available on its website.
Apple and Google have not reinstated TikTok on their app stores since January 19, when a U.S. law came into effect requiring the app’s Chinese owner, ByteDance, to either sell it due to national security concerns or face a ban.
President Donald Trump, who took office the day after the law was enforced, signed an executive order requesting a 75-day delay in its implementation.
Trump has stated that he is in discussions with multiple parties regarding TikTok’s acquisition and may make a decision on the app’s future later this month. The platform currently has approximately 170 million users in the U.S.
On Monday, the president signed another executive order mandating the creation of a sovereign wealth fund within a year, which he suggested could potentially be used to purchase TikTok.
