Whatever Happened to TikTok?

TikTok is one of the most popular social media platforms among younger generations. With its short videos and viral trends, the platform’s mission is "to inspire creativity and bring joy." In less than a month, however, TikTok was temporarily banned in the U.S., became the subject of a Supreme Court ruling, and returned to normal operations under the auspices of President-elect Donald Trump.

The January 2025 temporary shutdown caused panic among U.S. content creators, influencers, and regular users - estimated at over 150 million monthly in the U.S. alone. The shutdown was the result of the U.S. Congress adopting the Protecting Americans from Foreign Adversary Controlled Applications Act (PAFACA), marking the culmination of years of debates over national security concerns tied to TikTok’s parent company, ByteDance, and its links to the People’s Republic of China (PRC). The U.S. Supreme Court upheld the federal ban, which was lifted - or rather, postponed - within hours with the support of President-elect Trump. U.S. users were welcomed back to the platform with a message: "Thanks for your patience and support. As a result of President Trump’s efforts, TikTok is back in the U.S.!"

"Whatever Happened to TikTok?" aims to bring together scholars from diverse backgrounds to discuss the reasons and implications of these recent developments. What risks are truly associated with TikTok? What interests underlie the federal ban? And what are the broader effects on the rest of the world? Join us for a lively discussion on one of today’s most pressing questions!

Our speakers: 

• Henrique Jerônimo Bezerra Marcos

• Jerry Spanakis

• Konrad Kollnig

• Monica Garcia-Salmones Rovira

• Valentina Golunova

Moderator:

• Livia Solaro