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TikTok was gone. It’s back with a Trump lifeline

BBG News

At 12 o’clock Sunday midnight, TikTok users in America experienced a brief lull, following the Supreme Court’s unanimous decision to approve a new law. This legislation mandates the Chinese proprietor of TikTok to divest its U.S. operations, or risk a nationwide prohibition.

In just hours after the shutdown, President-elect Donald Trump declared his intention to sign an executive order extending ByteDance, TikTok’s Chinese owner, a 90-day period to find a suitable buyer. If no buyer is found within this timeframe, TikTok could permanently disappear from the digital landscape.

Trump, set to take office on Monday, made a statement via his social platform Truth Social. He declared that his executive order aims to delay the implementation of the law’s restrictions and assures zero legal repercussions for any firm that worked to prevent TikTok from shutting down prior to his order.

TikTok swiftly declared that it was working on reactivating the app. In a released statement, they expressed gratitude towards President Trump for offering the necessary clarification and assurance to their service providers, ensuring them they wouldn’t face any penalties while supplying TikTok to over 170 million Americans and supporting more than 7 million small businesses to flourish.

By midmorning Sunday, the app was back online.

Under the current law, app stores like Apple Store and Google Play would be prohibited from offering TikTok for download or providing updates for the social media application. Firms that disregard this rule may incur a fine of $5,000 for each individual user.

In response to the potential closure, countless app users showed surprise, sorrow, rage, and resistance, penning goodbyes and even staging satirical funerals; however, critics contend that this development represents a setback for freedom of expression.

Joey Soboleski II, a 26-year-old model, actor, and photographer, expressed his frustration: “I’m not happy,” he said. “I have my own thoughts about why it’s being removed. The true issue lies in stifling or restricting diverse ideas and perspectives on life that people can freely express without the intrusion of censorship.

In response to the absence of TikTok, The Daily Mail, a popular British news source, promptly shared plans to establish a new section on their main site dedicated to brief video clips as an alternative.

Since former President Trump attempted to ban TikTok in 2020 due to national security concerns, the platform’s future has been uncertain. Critics argue that TikTok owner ByteDance could potentially aid the Chinese government by providing data from its over 100 million American users, installing harmful software within the app, or assisting in the dissemination of misinformation.

In a statement, Kate Ruane from the Center for Democracy & Technology described the court’s decision as exceptional, stating that the ban adversely affects the freedom of speech of over 800 million TikTok users nationally and globally. Users of this platform employ it to generate content, disseminate information, obtain news, discuss current matters, and advertise their businesses – exactly the type of expression the First Amendment was designed to safeguard.

Many companies claim that TikTok offered an essential, unique platform compared to Instagram and YouTube Shorts, aiding them in expanding their brand visibility and boosting sales.

TikTok serves as much more than just a social media platform for businesses, musicians, artists, and creators. It’s a stepping stone for careers, a breeding ground for cultural movements, and an essential tool for reaching consumers. In fact, TikTok has proven to be instrumental in the careers of artists like Sabrina Carpenter and Chappell Roan, according to Vishal Ramakrishnan, chief business officer at Round Group, a worldwide marketing tech company.

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2025-01-19 22:31

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