TikTok-loaded phones are selling for thousands online after law prevents new downloads

Some fast-acting entrepreneurs are selling phones with TikTok preloaded on devices for thousands of dollars online, after the social media app was momentarily unavailable in the U.S.

ByteDance voluntarily shut down TikTok in the U.S. on Jan. 19, hours before a deadline requiring the China-based parent company to sell the app to a U.S.-based entity, or have it banned over national security concerns. TikTok went dark for its 170 million U.S.-based users, until President Trump on Jan. 20 paused the ban from going into effect until early April.

While the service has since been restored for existing users, the app is still not available for download from U.S.-based app stores.