TikTok ultimatum: App faces US shutdown amid looming legislation
TikTok announced it will shut down the app in the US on 19th January if the Biden administration does not ensure it won't enforce the new law. This is a reaction to the Supreme Court's decision.
"Unless the Biden Administration immediately provides a definitive statement to satisfy the most critical service providers assuring non-enforcement, unfortunately TikTok will be forced to go dark on January 19," wrote the management of TikTok in the US in a statement.
The Supreme Court upheld the constitutionality of the law on Friday, which forces the Chinese company ByteDance to sell TikTok or remove the app from the US. This law is set to come into effect this coming Sunday. The White House and the Department of Justice have suggested in statements that they will leave the enforcement of the law to the new administration of President Donald Trump.
TikTok emphasised in its statement that the current administration's statements do not provide clear guarantees that the app stores offering the platform will not be exposed to penalties. Donald Trump, who previously promised to "put measures in place" to stop TikTok ban, announced that he will make a decision regarding the platform's future soon, but he needs more time.
The sale of TikTok and Chinese control
National security adviser Mike Waltz announced that President Trump could use the option to delay the implementation of the law by 90 days to allow time for the sale of TikTok to an entity outside of China. ByteDance has consistently announced that it will not sell the platform, simultaneously denying reports of a potential sale of the app to Elon Musk.
In April of last year, Congress passed a law forcing TikTok to divest itself of Chinese control. This law was supported by a majority of congressmen from both parties. American agencies, including the FBI, have long warned of potential threats associated with the Chinese platform, including the possibility of surveillance and manipulation of public opinion by Beijing.
TikTok and its defenders argued that the law violates freedom of speech and breaches the First Amendment to the US Constitution. However, courts at all levels unanimously rejected these arguments. Critics of TikTok point to the close ties between Chinese businesses and communist authorities and regulations that require companies in China to cooperate with Chinese services.
