Suspense continues on TikTok in India, LinkedIn posts creates new speculation

Suspense around the comeback of TikTok to India still continues. According to a report by Economic Times, the ByteDance-owned short video platform recently posted two job openings in India on professional networking platform LinkedIn. These job postings have once again reignited the speculation about the return of TikTok in India.

TikTok post job listings for hiring in India

As reported by ET, the listings include one post for a

Bengali-speaking content moderator

and another for a wellbeing partnership and operations lead. The post also mentions that the hiring is for the Gurgaon office. The move has stirred curiosity among former users and ex-employees.However, TikTok spokesperson recently confirmed to ET that its services have not been restored in India. “We have not restored access to TikTok in India and continue to comply with the Government of India's directive,” TikTok spokesperson told ET.

TikTok may make a comeback in India

Recently, the TikTok website partially went live in India. The platform's website became accessible for some users in India, leading to widespread speculation of a potential comeback. However, the app remains unavailable on Google Play Store and App Store, and there is no statement from the company regarding a return.

When clicked on “Newsroom” a message flashes saying, “You don't have access to this page Our services aren't available in your country or region.” Additionally, a click on “Careers” returns “503 Service Temporarily Unavailable” message. The 'Contacts' link on the page too is opening. It is taking to a page that shows 'Partners', 'Media Enquiries', 'Legal Enquiries' and 'Privacy'.However, the government insiders told ET that TikTok still remains banned in India.

Why India banned TikTok in 2020

The development has reignited conversations around the 2020 ban. The government initially blocked TikTok along with 58 other Chinese apps, including Shareit and CamScanner, citing national security concerns. The Ministry of Electronics and IT stated that the apps were “prejudicial to sovereignty and integrity of India, defence of India, security of state and public order.”Meanwhile, TikTok is also facing a ban in the US. However, President Donald Trump has said that he has American buyers ready to acquire TikTok, and he is open to extending the deadline for its Chinese parent company,

ByteDance

, to sell the app’s US assets.The company is also laying off several employees in the UK and said that this move is part of a “reorganisation” to centralise its operations and increase its reliance on artificial intelligence (AI) for moderation.