News & Reviews:   TikTok

As of 19 January 2025, TikTok has been officially banned in the US. However, that's not the only app that has been banned. To be more specific, it is ByteDance, the parent company of TikTok that got blocked so in turn, its other apps are also restricted in that country.

Following the ban-or-divest law passed in the US last year, TikTok has gone dark today, with users blocked from viewing videos in the country. Furthermore, the TikTok app has also been removed from both the Apple App Store and Google Play Store.

Due to the impending TikTok ban on 19 January 2025, other social media platforms will gain plenty of new users. Already some users have moved to other Chinese apps as a form of protest and other social media platforms like Instagram could benefit.

The news about TikTok is all the rage these days. We recently reported that Elon Musk could be in talks of acquiring the operation business in the US but it's best to take it with a pinch of salt. Today, two different news outlets are saying TikTok could get a 270-day extension or be shut down on Sunday.

As a fresh reminder, TikTok by ByteDance could potentially be shut down in the US if the company is not sold by 19 January 2025. That's basically next Monday if nothing is done, just before President-elect Donald Trump returns to office.

When we started 2025, it was announced that both Tencent (WeChat) and ByteDance (TikTok) had acquired a social media license to operate in Malaysia. Meta and Telegram will also join the list soon but now, the Malaysian government is considering if LinkedIn is required to apply for it too.

As we kick off the new year, the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) announced both Tencent (WeChat) and ByteDance (TikTok) have been granted licenses to operate in Malaysia. Meanwhile, Meta has also begun the process of obtaining the license for Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp.

Donald Trump, the future President of the United States, has asked the United States Supreme Court to postpone legislation banning TikTok in January 2025 until Donald Trump takes office. So, what should you know about it?

Content restrictions and censorship have become commonplace and ingrained in any government ruling Malaysia. Recently, TikTok released a transparency report regarding the country's government's request to block content and accounts on TikTok from January to June 2024. So, what should you know about it?

Previously, we reported how individuals under the age of 16 are now banned from using social media in Australia. Now, Deputy Communications Minister Teo Nie Ching has revealed that her Ministry is currently reviewing the law, as well as a similar one in France, for implementation in Malaysia.