TikTok announced on Friday that it would allow U.S. Android users to download and connect to the app through package kits available on its website, in an effort to bypass restrictions on the popular platform in the country.
Apple and Google have not reinstated TikTok to their app stores since a U.S. law took effect on January 19, which requires its Chinese owner ByteDance to either sell it or face a ban due to national security concerns.
President Donald Trump, who took office the day after the law went into effect, signed an executive order seeking to delay the enforcement of the law for 75 days.
Trump has said he was in talks with multiple parties about TikTok’s sale and would likely have a decision on the app’s future this month. The app has about 170 million American users.
On Monday, the president signed an executive order directing the creation of a sovereign wealth fund within the next year, which could potentially buy TikTok.
U.S. officials have warned that under ByteDance, there is a risk of Americans’ data being misused.
Free speech advocates have opposed the ban on TikTok under the law, which was overwhelmingly passed by Congress and signed by then-President Joe Biden.
The company argues that U.S. officials have misstated its ties to China, stating that its content recommendation engine and user data are stored in the U.S. on cloud servers operated by Oracle, and that content moderation decisions affecting American users are also made in the U.S.
