The fate of TikTok in the United States hung precariously in the balance as the weekend approached, with a potential ban looming on Sunday. A rapid exchange of statements from TikTok, the outgoing Biden administration, and then-President-elect Donald Trump created considerable uncertainty about the platform’s future. TikTok warned it would “go dark” unless the government provided assurances that the ban would not be enforced, citing a lack of clarity from the White House and the Department of Justice. This claim was countered by the White House, which labeled TikTok’s statement a “stunt” and reiterated that enforcement of the ban would be the responsibility of the incoming Trump administration. Adding to the confusion, Trump suggested he might grant TikTok a 90-day reprieve, potentially delaying the ban’s implementation.
The legal battle that led to this standoff stemmed from a law passed by Congress and signed by President Biden, which effectively banned TikTok in the US unless its Chinese parent company, ByteDance, divested its ownership to a US-approved buyer by the impending Sunday deadline. This law arose from bipartisan concerns that TikTok posed a national security threat, potentially enabling the Chinese government to spy on American users or spread disinformation. TikTok consistently denied these allegations, even rallying its user base to lobby against the ban. The US Supreme Court ultimately rejected TikTok’s appeal to overturn the law, siding with the government’s argument that the issue centered on ownership and national security rather than free speech.
The White House maintained that while President Biden believed TikTok should remain accessible to Americans, it needed to operate under ownership that addressed national security concerns. They emphasized the timing of the deadline, stating it would be up to the incoming Trump administration to implement the law. This position seemingly shifted responsibility to the incoming president, leaving TikTok in a precarious situation. The social media platform argued it needed immediate assurances to prevent service providers from disabling access, thereby forcing the app offline in the US.
Trump, who had previously advocated for a TikTok ban during his first term, indicated a change of heart during the 2024 presidential campaign. Acknowledging the platform’s influence and its popularity among young voters, he expressed a desire to “save TikTok,” although he did not initially specify how. Later, he clarified his position, stating that while he still considered TikTok a national security risk, he was hesitant to ban it due to its widespread use among young people and the potential boost it would give to competing platforms like Facebook, which he viewed unfavorably.
The legal challenge to the ban involved various stakeholders, including free speech advocates and digital rights groups who argued that singling out TikTok wouldn’t address broader concerns about social media data privacy. They advocated for comprehensive digital privacy legislation that would regulate all social media companies’ data collection and sharing practices, rather than targeting a single platform. The Electronic Frontier Foundation, for instance, expressed disappointment with the Supreme Court’s decision, emphasizing that a ban wouldn’t effectively protect American data privacy. They reiterated the need for broader legislation to achieve that goal.
As the deadline neared, TikTok’s CEO, Shou Chew, released a video expressing gratitude for Trump’s apparent support and his willingness to work towards a solution. He highlighted Trump’s own use of the platform and the substantial reach he had achieved on TikTok. The future of TikTok in the US remained highly uncertain, hinging on the imminent actions of the incoming Trump administration. The law provided for a possible 90-day extension to the deadline, which Trump ultimately indicated he would likely grant, offering a potential, albeit temporary, reprieve for the popular social media platform. The situation underscored the complex interplay of national security concerns, free speech considerations, and the role of social media in contemporary society.
