The president-elect has expressed some favor for the Chinese app, but current law requires it to be banned unless ByteDance divests its operations in the country. The situation remains uncertain, with the Supreme Court set to hear the case and potential retaliation globally. Meanwhile, in Albania…
23/12/2024
“They brought me a graph, and it was a record, and it was so beautiful to look at, and as I was looking at it, I said, 'Maybe we need to keep this thing around for a while.'” As Donald Trumppresident-elect of the United States, spoke on the TikTok issue while addressing the crowd of supporters gathered for AmericaFest, the annual convention organized by Turning Point USA. He appears intent on allowing TikTok to continue operating in the United States for at least a while, saying he received billions of views on the social media platform during his presidential campaign. Last week, after meeting with TikTok's CEO, Trump said he had a “soft spot” for the app.
The next occupant of the White House will take office on January 20. That is, the day after the expiration of the law, approved in April and signed by the current president Joe Bidenwhich includes a ban on the app of the Chinese company ByteDance if it does not divest its operations in the United States. The decision was made citing national security reasons related to the processing of data and the spread of propaganda and disinformation, all in light of American doubts about the links between the company and the Chinese Communist Party. Notably, the Justice Department has argued that China's control of TikTok poses an ongoing threat to national security, a position supported by most of Congress. According to TikTok, the Justice Department misrepresented the social media app's ties to China and claimed that its content recommendation algorithm and user data are stored in the United States on cloud servers managed by Oracle, while decisions content moderation measures that concern US users are taken in the United States.
The US Supreme Court agreed to hear the case. However, if it doesn't rule in favor of ByteDance and no divestiture occurs, the app could effectively be banned in the US on January 19. It is unclear how Trump plans to reverse the order to divest TikTok, which passed by a large majority in the Senate.
Yesterday the Albanian prime minister Eddie Rama confirmed the closure of TikTok in his country, referring to “a carefully considered decision” and rejecting any request for “clarification” from the social network. Yesterday, Rama announced the ban starting in early 2025, after which TikTok responded by “asking the Albanian government for urgent clarification,” according to a spokesperson. The announcement came less than a month after the death of a 14-year-old pupil in a fight near a school in Tirana, following a dispute on social networks. This decision was not “a hasty reaction to a single incident,” responded the Albanian prime minister, but “a carefully considered decision, taken in consultation with communities of parents of school pupils across the country.” The Albanian case could prove to be a precious opportunity to test the capabilities of enforcement of the ban.
