US President Donald Trump, on Monday night, signed an executive order delaying the enforcement of a ban on the popular short-video app TikTok, which was set to take effect on January 19. The order grants the administration an additional 75 days to determine the future of the app in the US.
The executive order directs the US Attorney General not to enforce the law during this period, allowing time for further decisions regarding TikTok. It also tasks the Justice Department with informing companies like Apple, Google, and Oracle that they will not face legal repercussions for continuing their work with TikTok during the 75-day extension.
Trump explained the delay, stating it provides him with the option to either sell or close the app. "Just gave me the right to sell it or close it," he said, highlighting the importance of making a final decision on the matter.
This move effectively delayed the implementation of the Protecting Americans from Foreign Adversary Controlled Applications Act, which was set to prohibit the distribution and updating of TikTok in the US beginning on January 19. The law, passed last year with broad bipartisan support, was designed to address national security concerns that TikTok, owned by the Chinese company ByteDance, could be used by the Chinese government for espionage or to influence US public opinion.
Despite the law’s passage, Trump promised swift action to save TikTok and protect the millions of American users who rely on it for entertainment and social interaction. "I guess I have a warm spot for TikTok that I didn't have originally, but I went on TikTok and I won young people," Trump said while signing the order, crediting the app with helping him connect with younger voters during his election campaign.
Just hours after TikTok was temporarily inaccessible in the US on Saturday night due to the ban, the app resumed service on Sunday morning. The app greeted its users with a notification saying, "Thanks for your patience and support. As a result of President Trump’s efforts, TikTok is back in the U.S.!"
The swift restoration was a relief for the app’s 170 million US users, who had been unable to access TikTok, while the app was also unavailable for download on the Apple and Google Play stores. TikTok, which is integral to many users’ daily routines and livelihoods, had been temporarily shut down as the law banning it was enacted.
Under the executive order, the attorney general is also required to issue guidance for implementing the pause and send letters to service providers, such as Apple, Google, and Oracle, assuring them they will not face penalties for continuing to host or update TikTok during the 75-day period.
This clarification was crucial for companies like Apple and Google, which would otherwise have been required to remove TikTok from their app stores, risking penalties of up to $5,000 per user if the app remained accessible. Oracle, which hosts TikTok's U.S. servers, also had an obligation to enforce the ban.
The 75-day pause is intended to give the new administration time to "pursue a resolution that protects national security while saving a platform used by 170 million Americans," according to the executive order.
TikTok’s return to service is seen as a significant development for the app's American users and its parent company, ByteDance, after weeks of uncertainty and legal challenges related to the potential ban.
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