Time is running out for TikTok to find a buyer or it will be banned

Another day has passed without any news from the US Supreme Court or TikTok, leaving the popular social media app on the verge of going dark in America.

The country’s highest court has not yet ruled on TikTok’s request to overturn the law passed by Congress and signed by President Joe Biden last year that would… The app was effectively banned in the United States If ByteDance, TikTok’s China-based parent company, does not sell to a buyer deemed suitable by US officials by Sunday, January 19.

At a press conference on Thursday, Sens. Edward Markey of Massachusetts and Cory Booker of New Jersey called on Biden to extend the 90-day deadline as set forth in the legislation. The idea also has the support of Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, who like Markey and Booker has pledged to work with incoming President Donald Trump to find a way to save TikTok, while also protecting US national security.

“It’s time to take a breath, step back, buy some time, try to understand this rationally, but in no way should we make TikTok disappear on Sunday,” Markey said. “It will be catastrophic for many small businesses, many creatives, and many communities.”

A A Biden administration official said ABC News said on Thursday that the White House will not enforce the law during the remaining days before Trump takes office on January 21.

Lawyers for TikTok and the US government alike They pleaded their cases in oral arguments before the court last weekTikTok charged that a ban would violate the First Amendment rights of the company and its users. But based on questions and comments made during the more than two-hour hearing, the justices appeared to be more in line with the government’s argument that the case was less about freedom of expression and more about risks posed by foreign adversaries, such as China.

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It is unclear when the Supreme Court will issue its ruling. The court could also issue a stay, temporarily suspending the law until President-elect Donald Trump takes office just one day later on January 20.

Lawmakers in both political parties have long expressed concerns that TikTok could pose a national security threat and could be used by the Chinese government to spy on Americans or spread disinformation to advance China’s agenda.

TikTok continues to deny these accusations. Ahead of the vote in Congress earlier this year. TikTok has amassed its users in the United StatesHe called on them to urge their representatives on Capitol Hill to vote against the ban. But the measure eventually passed by wide margins in both chambers of Congress and was signed by Biden.

But Trump, who pushed for the ban during his first term, now says he no longer supports it. Before the oral arguments, Trump’s lawyers were present Submit a friend note In this case. They did not take sides, but rather asked the court to postpone the ban to give Trump time to reach a “political solution.”

So what’s next for lawmakers and TikTok? Here’s what you need to know.

What does the law do?

The law aims to force ByteDance to sell TikTok to a buyer approved by US officials, in addition to ensuring that ByteDance cannot access US user data or control the TikTok algorithm that determines which videos US users see.

TikTok has been given nine months to comply, then a January 19 deadline, at which point the government can request its app be removed from US app stores. The president can grant a 90-day extension. Earlier this week, Marky LLegislation that would have given TikTok another nine monthsBut it was blocked by Republicans.

TikTok has long said that selling is not an option. During oral arguments last week, company attorney Noel Francisco said TikTok would effectively “go dark” if the ban goes into effect. It is also possible for the app to die slowly. It won’t be shut down, but it will no longer be available in the Google and Apple app stores and existing users won’t be able to get software updates, which will eventually make the app too buggy to use.

Biden, who signed the bill setting those requirements, will remain in office until Inauguration Day on January 20.

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What’s next?

After originally calling for a ban during his first presidency, Trump said during the 2024 campaign that he did not support a ban and vowed to “save TikTok,” though he did not specify how he would do so.

During a press conference in December, Trump noted the role TikTok played during the election, crediting it with helping him collect the youth vote.

“TikTok has had an impact, so we’re taking a look at it,” Trump told the press. “I have a little warmth in my heart. I’ll be honest.”

Trump He said In March on CNBC’s Squawk Box, he said that although he still views the app as a national security risk, he no longer believes it should be banned, saying: “There are a lot of young kids on TikTok who are going to get hurt.” Go crazy without him.”

Trump added that banning TikTok would only strengthen the power of Facebook, which he described as the “enemy of the people.”

In September, Trump pledged to “Save tik tok“, according to a report by the Associated Press. But during… The interview aired last month on Meet the PressTrump did not directly say whether or how he would help TikTok avoid the ban.

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Who opposed the TikTok ban?

Free speech and digital rights groups, as well as some security experts, have long opposed the idea of ​​a ban, saying targeting TikTok does nothing to solve broader problems with social media. Several of them filed briefs before the Supreme Court in support of TikTok.

Instead, they argue, lawmakers would be better off passing comprehensive digital privacy laws that would protect Americans’ personal information by regulating the ability of all social media companies to collect and sell it.

Electronic Frontier Foundation Civil Liberties Director David Greene, who co-authored it Friend brief The company, which filed in court late last month, said companies from around the world are currently allowed to collect, store and sell Americans’ personal data. This data can easily be stolen or purchased by foreign adversaries.

“Banning or forcing the sale of a social media app will do almost nothing to protect the data privacy of Americans in another country,” Green said in a statement to the EFF.