CapCut, the video editing app owned by Chinese tech giant ByteDance, has resumed operations in the US, according to reports from users who have received a welcome notice from the service. This development comes after President Donald Trump signed an executive order instructing federal enforcers to hold off on taking action against service providers subject to the Protecting Americans from Foreign Adversary Controlled Applications Act for 75 days.

The order was intended to alleviate concerns for service providers that could face billions in fines for violating federal law and maintaining the app now that the sale deadline has passed. However, legal experts argue that the move does little to dispel the legal risk surrounding CapCut and its parent company, ByteDance. As a result, despite some US service providers cooperating with Trump's wishes to get the app back online, CapCut remains absent from Apple and Google's app stores, similar to its sister app, TikTok.

The saga surrounding CapCut and TikTok began when the Protecting Americans from Foreign Adversary Controlled Applications Act required apps owned by China-based ByteDance to be sold to a non-adversary entity by January 19th to continue operating in the US. Instead of making a deal, ByteDance pursued its legal options, ultimately losing at the Supreme Court. President Trump is now attempting to broker a "joint venture" that would give the US 50% ownership over TikTok, but this proposal also raises its own set of risky legal implications.

The ongoing battle between the US government and ByteDance has significant implications for the tech industry, particularly in the realm of data privacy and national security. The fate of CapCut and TikTok serves as a bellwether for the treatment of foreign-owned tech companies operating in the US, and the consequences of the Protecting Americans from Foreign Adversary Controlled Applications Act will likely be felt far beyond the realm of social media and video editing apps.

As the situation continues to unfold, users and industry observers alike will be watching closely to see whether CapCut will eventually return to the app stores, and what the long-term implications of this saga will be for the tech industry as a whole. One thing is certain: the ongoing struggle between the US government and ByteDance serves as a stark reminder of the complex and often contentious relationship between technology, policy, and national security.