TikTok's brief outage in the United States has ended, following intervention by President-elect Donald Trump. The platform, which serves 170 million Americans, was temporarily offline due to a law mandating its Chinese parent company, ByteDance, to divest its US operations. The legislation, confirmed by the Supreme Court, raised national security concerns over alleged espionage practices by ByteDance.
Trump announced plans to issue an executive order delaying the ban, allowing TikTok to resume its service. He proposed a joint venture with 50% US ownership to maintain the platform's presence. This move aims to create a window for negotiation, potentially saving the app from a permanent ban.
The law allows a 90-day extension if significant progress is made in divestment discussions. However, the legal basis for Trump's intervention remains unclear, as the law requires the president to certify such progress to Congress.
The US Congress had passed the law amid fears that China's control over TikTok could lead to data misuse and propaganda. Despite the Biden administration's reluctance to enforce the ban immediately, companies supporting TikTok risked hefty fines. Trump's assurance of no penalties for service providers has brought temporary relief.
Estonia's foreign minister has suggested a similar TikTok ban in Europe, citing misinformation and security risks posed by data collection.
With TikTok back online, the future of its US operations hangs in the balance as political negotiations continue. The situation highlights the ongoing tension between national security concerns and the global digital economy.
