TikTok is now back online for its 170 million users in the US after President-elect Donald Trump promised to help the app avoid a ban when he becomes president on Monday.
On Saturday night, the app stopped working for US users because a law banning it took effect due to national security concerns. However, after Trump pledged on Sunday to delay this ban and give more time for a deal, TikTok said it was working on restoring service.
TikTok thanked Trump for providing “the necessary clarity and assurance” and said it would work with him to find a long-term solution to keep the app running in the US.
Trump shared his plan on Truth Social, stating he would issue an executive order to delay the law’s effects so a deal could be made. His decision followed a Supreme Court ruling that upheld the law, requiring TikTok’s parent company, ByteDance, to sell its US operations or face a ban.
Although it’s unclear if Trump can legally delay the law, it’s expected that his administration won’t enforce the ban if he issues the order. Biden’s team had already stated it would not enforce the law in its final hours in office.
TikTok, a popular platform for millions of US users, has become an important tool for political campaigns targeting younger voters. Trump, who had supported banning TikTok, has recently expressed a “warm spot” for the app, even highlighting the billions of views his campaign videos received there.
The law, passed in April, stated that TikTok must be removed from app stores if ByteDance does not sell its US business. TikTok argued that the law infringed on free speech rights for its users.
This situation has sparked a division between Trump and some of his party members, such as Senator Marco Rubio, who has strongly supported the ban, calling TikTok a tool for Chinese influence in the US.
For more details, you can visit the BBC’s coverage of this topic.
https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cjde3p0rnjgo