The United States temporarily lifted its ban on the popular video app TikTok, allowing it to operate again after President-elect Donald J. Trump vowed to stall the implementation of the ban.
On Saturday night, users in the US found that their TikTok accounts were unavailable due to a new law banning ByteDance’s apps in the country. However, around noon on Sunday, the app was restored with a message stating that President Trump had provided “necessary clarity and assurance” for its restoration.
Trump claimed he would issue an executive order extending the ban period by 90 days, allowing time to make a deal to protect national security. He also proposed a deal where the US would have a 50% ownership stake in a new TikTok entity.
However, experts question whether Trump’s actions can reverse the ban under existing law, citing the provision that allows a president to issue an extension but only if they certify to Congress about a “qualified divestiture.” It remains unclear how Trump will navigate this uncharted territory without subverting the law.
US officials have long been concerned about ByteDance’s ties to the Chinese government and its potential use of TikTok to spread misinformation. The company has denied misusing data or spreading propaganda on behalf of Beijing in the US.
Trump’s efforts to ban TikTok date back to 2020, when he attempted to orchestrate a sale of the app to American companies. His stance on the app changed last March after meeting with a billionaire donor who owns shares in ByteDance.
Source: https://www.nytimes.com/article/what-we-know-tiktok.html