TikTok Ban Deadline Looms as Trump Signals Potential Support for App's Future
TikTok faces a critical deadline on January 19th, just one day before Trump takes office, to either divest from ByteDance or face a U.S. ban. Despite Trump's recent positive stance toward the platform, the app's fate remains uncertain.
Trump expressed interest in keeping TikTok operational in the U.S., citing his campaign's success on the platform with "billions of views." He recently met with TikTok CEO Shou Zi Chew and mentioned having a "warm spot" for the application.
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The U.S. Senate passed legislation in April requiring ByteDance to divest TikTok, citing national security concerns. While the Supreme Court has agreed to review TikTok's appeal, the current deadline stands at January 19th.
Key concerns and developments:
- The Department of Justice maintains that ByteDance's control poses national security risks
- TikTok claims its data and recommendation engine are stored on U.S.-based Oracle servers
- Multiple reports indicate Beijing-based officials still have access to user data
- Trump's ability to reverse the ban remains questionable due to strong Senate support for the divestiture order
Even if Trump attempts to intervene, his options may be limited given that the divestiture order received overwhelming Senate approval earlier this year.
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