Biden lets go of TikTok: the decision is up to Trump!

Joe Biden won’t enforce TikTok ban as he leaves White House nearer

President Joe Biden will not implement the ban on TikTok, which is expected to take effect a day before he leaves office, according to a US official. This ban is due to begin on January 19, just before his Republican opponent, Donald Trump, comes to power after his victory in the November elections.

A law promulgated by Biden last year required ByteDance, the parent company of TikTok based in China, to separate from the application for reasons of national security, under penalty of being banned from operating on any of its largest markets. However, the official, who wished to remain anonymous, indicated that the Biden administration would convey the decision to Trump, who will be sworn in for his second presidential term on Monday.

Trump previously promised to keep TikTok available in the United States, but his transition team has not specified how they plan to do so. During his first term, President Trump sought to ban TikTok, but later declared that he would “save TikTok”, acknowledging that the app had allowed him to capture more votes among young people during his 2024 presidential campaign.

Efforts to preserve TikTok have crossed political lines, with Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer saying he spoke with Biden yesterday to advocate for an extension of the deadline to ban TikTok, a platform popular with the younger generation. “It is clear that it takes more time to find an American buyer and not disrupt the lives and activities of millions of Americans, as well as that of many influencers who have been able to build a good network of followers,” he said. Schumer said on the Senate floor.

Democrats tried to pass legislation Wednesday to extend the deadline, but Republican Sen. Tom Cotton of Arkansas blocked the move. Cotton, chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee, said TikTok has had enough time to find a buyer.

In a recent statement, Cotton called TikTok “a Chinese Communist Party spy app that addicts our children, collects their data, targets them with harmful and manipulative content, and spreads communist propaganda.” » Last week, the Supreme Court heard oral arguments in a legal challenge to the law brought by TikTok, ByteDance, and users of the app. However, the justices appear inclined to uphold the law signed by Biden.

Takeaways

• TikTok faces a possible ban in the United States linked to national security concerns.
• President Biden is leaving the decision of TikTok’s future to his successor, Donald Trump.
• Chuck Schumer, Democratic leader in the Senate, pleaded for more time to find an American buyer for TikTok.
• Legislation to extend the ban deadline was blocked by a Republican senator.
• The United States Supreme Court appears to be considering upholding the law in question.

When considering the debate around TikTok, it is essential to think about the role that social platforms play in daily life and their security issues. How will the power transition influence digital policy and public perception of technology companies, particularly those based abroad? Careful consideration of these issues could be relevant in an ever-changing digital landscape.

• Source image(s) : news.sky.com
• Source : https://news.sky.com/story/joe-biden-will-not-enforce-tiktok-ban-leaving-decision-to-donald-trump-13290489