TikTok’s ban in the United States may soon be reversed, according to incoming President Donald Trump, who plans to issue an executive order with a new set of conditions.
As of January 19th, TikTok users in the US were greeted with a message indicating the app is no longer available, following a law signed by President Joe Biden last April. This law gave the app a deadline to sever its ties with its Chinese parent company, ByteDance, citing national security concerns over the Chinese government’s potential access to American data.
The ban was confirmed earlier this week after an appeal was rejected by the US Supreme Court. However, with Donald Trump set to take office tomorrow, things might take a dramatic turn. Trump has announced his intention to immediately reverse the ban by granting ByteDance more time to find an approved buyer for its US operations.
On his Truth Social platform, Trump outlined his plan to issue an executive order that would extend the deadline for TikTok to find a solution. His proposed order would allow the company extra time and provide assurances that no company will face liability for keeping the app operational during the extension period.
Trump emphasized that he wants Americans to be able to access TikTok, particularly for the upcoming inauguration and other important events. “Americans deserve to see our exciting Inauguration on Monday, as well as other events and conversations,” he said in the post.
The law allows the sitting president to grant a 90-day extension if a viable sale of TikTok’s US operations is underway. Despite some offers from potential investors, ByteDance has maintained that it does not intend to sell the platform.
Trump also suggested that the US could take a 50% ownership stake in a joint venture involving TikTok, though it was unclear whether this would involve the US government or an American company. “By doing this, we save TikTok, keep it in good hands, and allow it to stay up,” he wrote.
He also indicated that if the US government gives its approval, TikTok could be worth hundreds of billions of dollars, or even trillions.
While the situation in the US has sparked concerns in other countries, the UK government has clarified that there are no plans to implement a similar ban on TikTok. The UK stated that the matter remains under the jurisdiction of the US, and it continues to work with social media companies to ensure data protection and cybersecurity standards are met.
As President Trump prepares to take office, the fate of TikTok in the US is likely to undergo a significant shift, offering the app more time to secure its future and potentially altering the landscape of social media in America.
