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TikTok Ban Would Go Into Effect After Presidential Election
By Movieguide® Contributor
On Wednesday, President Joe Biden signed a $95 billion national security package that included a plan to ban TikTok in the United States.
However, the ban wouldn’t go into effect until after the 2024 Presidential election in November.
“TikTok, which boasts 170 million American users, will remain a force throughout the campaign, providing a platform for candidates to reach predominantly younger voters. An earlier version of the bill could have banned the popular video-sharing app prior to the election, but recent changes mean lawmakers and Biden may not face such an immediate voter backlash,” NBC News reported.
Movieguide® previously reported on the legislation:
The bill would require TikTok’s parent company, ByteDance, to either sell the app or be banned in the United States if it refuses…
“On Wednesday, House Speaker Mike Johnson issued a new proposal that would extend the sale requirement deadline to nine months, with a potential for a 90-day extension,” Variety reported.
The proposed legislation has also been added to another bill that seeks to aid foreign countries in economic relief.
The chances of TikTok actually leaving the U.S. are slim, though.
If ByteDance does sell, the platform will likely still be available. The only difference is that it will be American-owned.
“TikTok ain’t going away,” said Senator Tim Kaine, D-Va., member of the Armed Services Committee. “There is no more capitalistic entity than an organization controlled by the Chinese Communist Party. They’re going to sell it. Young people will go on their TikTok tomorrow and they’ll still have it. And then the day after that, they’ll still have it. And the day after that, they’ll still have it. If you like it, you’re going to keep it.”
As of right now, though, TikTok has no plan to sell.
In a recent press release, a TikTok spokesperson said, “This unconstitutional law is a TikTok ban, and we will challenge it in court. We believe the facts and the law are clearly on our side, and we will ultimately prevail. The fact is, we have invested billions of dollars to keep U.S. data safe and our platform free from outside influence and manipulation. This ban would devastate seven million businesses and silence 170 million Americans.”
Movieguide® recently reported:
TikTok has announced it will file a court challenge if Congress passes proposed legislation that will ban the app in the U.S.
“At the stage that the bill is signed [by President Joe Biden], we will move to the courts for a legal challenge,” Michael Beckerman, TikTok’s head of public policy for the Americas, told TikTok employees in a memo obtained by CNN. “This is the beginning, not the end of this long process.”
TikTok CEO Shou Zi Chew has also made public statements about fighting back against a potential ban.
In a video posted on the platform aimed at the app’s users, he said, “We will not stop fighting and advocating for you. We will continue to do all we can, including exercising our legal rights, to protect this amazing platform that we have built with you.”
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