TikTok's future in the United States is uncertain as political leaders grapple with its potential ban. Former President Donald Trump and current President Joe Biden have both reversed their positions on the popular app, which its parent company, ByteDance, insists has no ties to the Chinese government. A decision on the proposed ban is imminent, adding urgency to the situation. The legislation does not outright forbid the use of TikTok. However, it requires tech giants like Apple and Google to cease offering the app and stop providing updates.
ByteDance, TikTok's owner, faces a critical deadline set by Congress last year. The bipartisan law demands that ByteDance secure a U.S.-approved buyer within nine months or risk a ban on the platform due to national security concerns about data access by the Chinese Communist Party. The ban is scheduled to take effect just one day before Trump potentially returns to office.
In an interesting twist, Trump has invited TikTok's CEO, Shou Zi Chew, to his presidential inauguration. This move comes as Trump has previously sought to delay the app's ban via the Supreme Court. Meanwhile, ByteDance has announced plans to shut down TikTok for its 170 million U.S. users by Sunday if no resolution is reached.
President Biden signed the bill into law last April as part of an aid package for Ukraine and Israel. His administration is keen on finding a solution to prevent TikTok from disappearing suddenly, reflecting a change from his earlier stance. Congressman Mike Waltz has stated that Trump would step in to protect TikTok if the Supreme Court upholds the ban set for January 19.
"We will put measures in place to keep TikTok from going dark." – Congressman Mike Waltz
The law includes a provision for a 90-day extension for ByteDance if considerable progress toward a sale is demonstrated. This could potentially delay the app's removal from platforms like Apple's App Store and Google Play.