TikTok faces US shutdown unless Biden halts enforcement
If the Biden administration does not immediately provide assurance that it will not enforce the law concerning TikTok, the app will be shut down in the U.S. on January 19, the company stated on Friday. This statement was made in response to the Supreme Court ruling that allowed the prohibition of the platform's operation.
"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 TikTok's U.S. management in a statement.
This reaction follows the Supreme Court's Friday decision upholding the constitutionality of the law requiring ByteDance to sell the platform from its Chinese owner or remove TikTok from the U.S. The law is set to take effect as soon as Sunday, but the White House and the Department of Justice have suggested in statements that enforcement of the law will be left to the incoming administration of President Donald Trump.
According to TikTok, these statements, however, do not provide clear guarantees that app stores offering the platform will not be exposed to penalties.
Trump needed time
Donald Trump, who had previously promised to "put measures in place" to stop TikTok ban, announced that a decision regarding the platform's future would be made soon, but he needed more time. His national security advisor, Mike Waltz, announced that the president would use the option contained in the law allowing for a 90-day delay in the law's enactment to provide time for TikTok to be sold to a non-Chinese entity.
ByteDance consistently announced that they will not sell the platform and denied reports that the Chinese were considering selling it to Elon Musk, who has strong business ties in China. Previously, other businessmen connected to Trump's circle expressed interest in purchasing the app, including the nominee for Treasury Secretary, Steven Mnuchin.
FBI warns
In April of last year, Congress passed a law forcing TikTok to get rid of Chinese control. It was supported at the time by a decisive majority of congressmen from both parties. U.S. services, including the FBI, had long warned of potential threats related to the Chinese platform, such as its use by Beijing for surveillance or blackmail
of Americans, as well as for disinformation and manipulating public opinion. Critics pointed to the close ties between Chinese businesses and the communist authorities, as well as regulations requiring companies in China to cooperate with Chinese services.
TikTok and its defenders argued that the law violates freedom of speech and breaks the First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution. These arguments were unanimously rejected by courts of all instances.
