TikTok disabled access for U.S. users late Saturday as a national ban on the app took effect, following a Supreme Court decision citing national security concerns.
The law, which requires ByteDance to sell TikTok’s U.S. operations to non-Chinese buyers, has been upheld, though TikTok CEO Shou Chew hopes President-elect Donald Trump will grant a 90-day reprieve after his inauguration.
Trump expressed willingness to consider a temporary extension, citing TikTok’s role in connecting him to younger voters.
Meanwhile, U.S.-based tech rivals Instagram Reels and YouTube Shorts stand to benefit from TikTok’s shutdown.
A last-minute merger proposal involving TikTok’s U.S. unit and Perplexity AI could offer a potential resolution, but legal and political hurdles remain.
Source: PhilNews24 | January 20, 2025
