TikTok Says It Will Close Tomorrow Unless Biden Acts

China’s ByteDance owns the well-known social media site TikTok, which has issued a warning of a possible closure in the US tomorrow.
To prevent this, the business is now requesting that the Joe Biden government step in.
The threat follows a recent Supreme Court decision that maintained a regulation that forbids TikTok from operating unless ByteDance relinquishes its ownership interest.
TikTok wants service providers to be assured
TikTok has stated that unless the Biden administration makes a “definitive statement” guaranteeing its “most critical service providers” that they would not be held accountable for violating the legislation, the company will be “forced to go dark” on January 19.
These suppliers include hosting companies like Amazon and Oracle, as well as digital behemoths Apple and Google, who distribute TikTok through their app stores.
The White House’s position and the CEO’s appeal
Shou Chew, the CEO of TikTok, made a video appeal to President-elect Donald Trump after the Supreme Court’s decision.
He did not, however, provide any information regarding the company’s plans until the law takes effect at midnight today.
According to the White House, Trump, who is scheduled to take office on Monday, will make the final choice about TikTok’s destiny. Trump has promised to save the app.
The exchange between Trump and Xi Jinping
Trump revealed on Friday that he had discussed “balancing trade, fentanyl, TikTok, and many other subjects” with Chinese President Xi Jinping.
In a statement, the White House explained Biden’s stance on TikTok, stating that although Americans should still be able to use the app, it must be owned by Americans or have another structure that takes into account national security issues raised by Congress.
The DOJ backs the prohibition, but lawmakers change their minds
Support for the TikTok ban has been voiced by the Department of Justice (DOJ), which has been charged with implementing the ban by fining its US service providers $5,000 for each user who has access to the app.
Politicians who supported the prohibition are now requesting that ByteDance be allowed additional time to divest as the deadline approaches.
The future of TikTok and prospective customers
Citing limitations imposed by Chinese law on its unique algorithm, which is essential to the app’s success, ByteDance has declined to sell TikTok.
Nonetheless, a few investors have expressed interest in purchasing TikTok’s US assets, including tycoon Frank McCourt and former Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin.
Beginning tomorrow, the regulation would prohibit TikTok from being accessible on app stores and web hosting platforms in the absence of a sale.