TikTok Ban: What You Need to Know Before Sunday
TikTok, the popular social media platform, faces a potential ban in the United States this weekend unless ByteDance, its China-based parent company, sells its US operations before January 19. The looming ban, if enforced, could have significant implications for the platform’s American users and content creators.
The US Congress passed the Protecting Americans from Foreign Adversary Controlled Applications Act in March 2024, citing national security concerns regarding the app’s Chinese ownership. With approximately 170 million American users, TikTok’s extensive data collection capabilities have raised red flags for lawmakers.
In an effort to address security concerns, TikTok began moving American user data to Oracle’s servers in 2022. However, the pending ban could disrupt this arrangement and impact the platform’s functionality for US users.
While US tech companies like Google and Apple may remove TikTok from their app stores to comply with the ban, users who already have the app may experience limited functionality over time without updates. Additionally, cloud service providers like Oracle could face challenges in hosting TikTok’s US data under the new legislation.
Despite bipartisan support for the ban, President-elect Donald Trump has expressed intent to save TikTok, raising questions about the ban’s enforcement. Trump may have options to overturn the ban post-inauguration, but uncertainties remain regarding the platform’s future in the US.
As the ban deadline approaches, concerns about the ban’s implications for Australians and the global tech landscape are mounting. The potential fallout from the TikTok ban could have far-reaching consequences beyond American borders, impacting users, influencers, and businesses worldwide.