TikTok is back in the App Store

Rule of Law vs. Executive Non‑Enforcement

• Many see TikTok’s return as evidence that laws “don’t matter” if the president tells companies to ignore them, despite Congress passing and the Supreme Court upholding the ban.
• Others note the statute allowed a one‑time, up‑to‑90‑day extension, but there’s sharp disagreement over whether legal conditions (e.g., an active divestiture) were actually met.
• Several argue there’s a qualitative difference between under‑enforcing broad laws (cannabis, jaywalking) and openly exempting a single named company from a tailored statute.

Checks, Balances, and a “Slow Coup”

• Commenters connect this episode to broader trends: mass firings in DOJ/FBI, attempts to abolish agencies without Congress, and partisan shielding from impeachment.
• Some describe this as a completed or ongoing “coup” or de‑facto one‑party/one‑leader rule; others push back, saying elections and an opposition party still exist and that such rhetoric is exaggerated.
• There is debate over what Congress can realistically do: new laws that might also be ignored, impeachment constrained by party loyalty, or procedural and legal resistance that leadership has largely failed to mount.

Authoritarian Drift and Historical Parallels

• Multiple threads compare the US trajectory to Russia, China, Hungary, or interwar Europe, emphasizing how democracies can erode while elections technically continue.
• Others caution against fatalism, arguing the electoral system is not yet obviously broken and that panic should give way to concrete civic action.

TikTok Ban Merits and National Security

• Some are simply glad TikTok is back, even via dubious means; others are alarmed that people will trade the rule of law for entertainment.
• Supporters of the ban frame TikTok as effectively CCP‑controlled information infrastructure and a clear security risk, citing foreign election meddling examples.
• Opponents question the evidence and argue a TikTok‑only law is both unconstitutional and a step toward a “Great Firewall of America.”

Trump/Musk/Donor Motives

• Speculated motives for Trump’s reversal include: personal profit via forcing or blocking a sale, influence from investors in ByteDance, dependence on China via Tesla/Elon Musk, desire for control over major platforms, and ego gratification from being cast as TikTok’s “savior.”

Apple/Google’s Legal and Business Risk

• Several think Apple (and Google) are now plainly violating the statute at the president’s request, taking on massive “tail risk” if a future administration enforces the law or proves data exfiltration.
• Others argue Apple is rationally aligning with where real power now lies, fearing tariffs, sanctions, or retaliation more than eventual legal consequences.