President Joe Biden has signed a package of national security measures, including the controversial banning of social network TikTok. With this decision, TikTok’s days in the U.S. are now officially numbered.
President Joe Biden signed a bill into law that bans TikTok in the US if its owner, the Chinese tech firm ByteDance, fails to divest the popular short video app over the next nine months to a year. Here’s what will likely happen next for TikTok https://t.co/Pkx6SAm1qc pic.twitter.com/kyhxdeuVje
— Reuters (@Reuters) April 24, 2024
The decision to ban TikTok in the US was the result of lengthy parliamentary debates and multiple attempts by lawmakers to restrict the app on national security grounds, due to concerns that Chinese authorities could access US users’ data.
ByteDance, the company that owns TikTok, denies the existence of any such risks and claims to have significant measures in place to secure US users’ data against foreign interference.
Given TikTok’s popularity with young and old alike, who use the platform for a variety of purposes ranging from entertainment to political engagement and as a business tool, this decision could have notable repercussions.
TikTok’s ban is causing heated debate in the American political landscape. Both advocates and opponents of the measure have voiced their opinions. Critics argue that banning TikTok could harm small entrepreneurs and content creators who use the platform.