(CLO) On Saturday (January 18), President-elect Donald Trump announced that he will "most likely" give TikTok a 90-day grace period to avoid a ban, after officially taking office on Monday.
Millions of TikTok users in the US are anxiously awaiting the outcome as the app faces the threat of being shut down on Sunday. “A 90-day extension might be a good thing,” Trump said in an interview with NBC. “If I decide to do that, I’ll make an announcement on Monday.”
TikTok logo. Photo: AI
TikTok currently has about 170 million users in the US. However, users accessing the app on Saturday night received a message that the ban would temporarily suspend the service. The company pledged to restore service in the US as soon as possible.
Under a law passed last year and upheld by the US Supreme Court on Friday, TikTok must sever ties with its Chinese parent company, ByteDance, or cease operations in the US. The ban stems from concerns that the app could threaten US national security.
The White House stressed that the final decision would be up to the new administration. “There is no reason for TikTok or related companies to take action before the Trump administration takes office on Monday,” said press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre.
"The Chinese Embassy in Washington condemned the US for using state power to suppress TikTok. A Chinese spokesperson affirmed: "China will take all necessary measures to protect its legitimate rights and interests."
Amid the threat of a ban, TikTok users have been sharing farewell videos on the platform.
“Does anyone know if the TikTok ban starts Sunday? I need to plan ahead,” said Britany Williams, a fitness content creator with 64,000 followers.
Oracle, TikTok's main cloud computing provider in the US, is reportedly ready to shut down servers storing US user data from 9pm on Saturday.
The US Supreme Court has unanimously upheld the ban on national security grounds. Without an extension from the new administration, companies like Apple and Google – which provide platforms for TikTok – could face significant legal liability.
The uncertainty has driven TikTok users, especially younger ones, to alternative platforms like RedNote. Rivals like Meta and Snap have seen their shares surge this month as investors bet on an influx of users and advertising revenue.
Marketing companies that rely on TikTok are rushing to prepare backup plans, while some investors have proposed plans to acquire TikTok in the US.
TikTok CEO Shou Zi Chew is expected to attend Trump’s inauguration and a rally on Sunday. Billionaire Elon Musk was also reportedly approached by Beijing to buy TikTok in the US, but the company has denied the reports.
ByteDance currently has more than 7,000 employees in the US, with about 60% of its shares owned by institutional investors such as BlackRock and General Atlantic.
Hong Hanh (according to Reuters, NBC)
Source: https://www.congluan.vn/ong-trump-co-the-tam-hoan-lenh-camtiktok-90-ngay-sau-khi-nham-chuc-post331062.html
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