TikTok is resuming services for its 170 million users in the United States as President-elect Donald Trump announced he would issue an executive order to delay the app’s ban when he takes office on Monday.
On Saturday night, the Chinese-owned app ceased functioning for U.S. users after a law banning the platform over national security concerns came into effect.
Trump, who previously supported the platform’s ban, promised on Sunday to delay the enforcement of the law to allow more time for an agreement to be reached.
TikTok stated that it was in the process of “restoring service.”
Shortly thereafter, the app resumed operation, sending a message to millions of users thanking Trump by name.
In a statement, the company thanked the incoming president for “providing necessary clarity and reassurance” and expressed its willingness to work with Trump “on a long-term solution to keep TikTok in the United States.”
Trump posted on his social media platform, Truth:
“I’m asking companies not to let TikTok go dark! On Monday, I will issue an executive order to extend the timeframe before the legal bans take effect so we can negotiate safeguards for our national security.”
It remains unclear what legal authority Trump will have to delay enforcement of a law already in effect. However, it is expected that his administration will not enforce the ban if an executive order is issued.
The app was initially banned due to concerns over its ties to the Chinese government, with a deadline set for January 19 for the company to sell to an approved U.S. buyer.
The Supreme Court upheld the law on Friday, passed in April last year, which prohibits the app in the U.S. unless its China-based parent company, ByteDance, sells the platform—a condition that has not been met.
TikTok argued that the law violates freedom of speech protections for its 170 million U.S. users. The ban proceeded despite the company’s legal attempts and appeals, which claimed the move was unconstitutional.
Outgoing President Joe Biden stated he would leave the matter to his successor, Donald Trump, whose inauguration TikTok CEO Shou Zi Chew is expected to attend.
While the platform was restored for existing users on Sunday, questions remain about whether third parties—such as hosting platforms or app stores like Google or Apple—can continue to support TikTok in the U.S., according to Karl Tobias, a law professor at the University of Richmond.
The app had been removed from those stores ahead of the ban.
“It’s unclear,” Tobias told the BBC.
In a Truth post, Trump promised to shield companies from liability, paving the way for TikTok to become available on Apple and Google platforms again.
“The order will also confirm that no company that helped keep TikTok running before my order will face liability,” the president-elect said.
However, during Supreme Court hearings, U.S. government counsel Elizabeth Prelogar was firm that an executive order cannot retroactively alter the law.
“Whatever the new president does, it does not change the legal reality for these companies,” Justice Sonia Sotomayor remarked during the hearing.
“Exactly,” Prelogar added.
Tobias noted that the law includes a provision allowing the president to delay the ban for up to 90 days if significant progress is made on addressing national security concerns. However, he stated it is unclear if these conditions have been met.
“The best thing Trump could do is collaborate with Congress, rather than risk potentially violating the law or leaving unresolved issues,” Tobias said.
“I don’t think we’ll know much more until we see the executive order.”
READ MORE:
Could a Buyer for TikTok Still Emerge?
ByteDance has been adamant that its most valuable asset in the U.S. is not for sale. However, could a sale materialize under the leadership of a president who prides himself on the “art of the deal”?
Bloomberg News reported on Tuesday that the list of potential buyers is growing, with the company considering a sale to billionaire Elon Musk—an idea TikTok dismissed as “pure fabrication.”
Steven Mnuchin, Treasury Secretary during Trump’s first term, and billionaire Frank McCourt are among those who previously expressed interest in acquiring TikTok.
McCourt, former owner of the Los Angeles Dodgers baseball team, reportedly received verbal approval from a consortium of investors to offer $20 billion for TikTok.
There is also an unusual, less serious potential buyer.
World-famous YouTuber MrBeast has claimed to be in the running to purchase TikTok after persuading billionaires to back him.
While it may sound like a joke, MrBeast has a substantial financial incentive to preserve the app, as he boasts over 100 million followers on TikTok.
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Source: Danas.rs, Photo: AFP