The United States has started a countdown against TikTok, as a new law requires ByteDance, the Chinese company that owns the popular app, to sell it within nine months. President Joe Biden has the authority to grant a three-month extension if sufficient progress towards divestment is made. The emphasis of the law is on the need for ByteDance to sell the app, not on prohibiting it.
Legislators have expressed concerns about the addictive behavior the app causes among users, especially adolescents, as well as its Chinese ownership. Critics fear that the Chinese government could access the data of American users. However, TikTok has implemented controls to address these concerns and denies giving access to US data to the Chinese government, arguing that a ban would violate freedom of expression.
The provision to sell TikTok was unexpectedly included in a bill that also allocated aid funds to Ukraine. The extension given to ByteDance is aimed at making the measure more acceptable to opponents. ByteDance’s decision to sell the app and whether the Chinese government will allow it remain uncertain.
TikTok plans to challenge the constitutionality of the law in court, emphasizing the app’s importance to American users and the economy. The outcome of this legal battle and the future ownership of TikTok in the US are unclear, with potential political and economic implications.