Relieved US TikTok users hope for ‘magic’ to return as app is restored

On Saturday night, for the first time in five years, millions of American TikTok users who logged on for a late-night scroll were met with an unwelcome notice that their beloved app had been banned and shut down.

Their exile lasted less than 24 hours, ending when the Chinese-owned company restored service on Sunday after President-elect Donald Trump, who returns to power on Monday, said he would revive US access. But the TikTok masses had already started contemplating life without the app that has captivated nearly half of all Americans.