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The TikTok clock is ticking, and a growing chorus of lawmakers is pushing President Joe Biden to stop a potential ban.
The popular social media app, which has 170 million US users, is on the verge of shutting down in the US as early as Sunday, leaving countless creators and small businesses in the dark.
Reuters said Democratic Sen. Ed Markey expressed the urgency he felt on the matter: “We’re asking for the ability to rationally solve this problem so that TikTok doesn’t go out of business.” Let’s take a breath, step back, get some time and figure it out.”
Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer joined the call, calling on Biden to grant a 90-day extension for TikTok’s Chinese owner, ByteDance, to sell its US operations. Schumer pointed to the potential impact: disrupting the lives of millions and jeopardizing businesses built on the platform. “It is clear that more time is needed to find an American buyer and not disrupt the lives and livelihoods of millions of Americans, including so many influencers who have built a network of followers,” he stressed.
In April, Congress imposed a 270-day deadline on ByteDance to divest from TikTok, citing concerns about Chinese espionage over the app’s extensive data collection. The Justice Department echoed those concerns, calling TikTok a “powerful tool for espionage.”
With the timing of the ban coinciding with a holiday weekend just before the presidential transition, a White House official suggested the decision could fall to the incoming administration. However, the Biden administration has so far shown no plans to extend the deadline.
Lawmakers like Markey, Cory Booker and Chris Van Hollen are reaching out directly to Biden, urging him to intervene before it’s too late. “Over the past few days, it has become clear that without your action, TikTok is likely to shut down on Sunday, with serious consequences for the 170 million Americans and 7 million businesses that rely on TikTok,” they wrote in the letter.
TikTok is preparing to shut down its US operations unless a last-minute solution is found. The looming uncertainty has already caused ripples, with alternative apps like RedNote experiencing a surge in new users.
The TikTok debate has revealed shifting alliances and mixed signals from lawmakers. While prominent Democrats, including Schumer, are pushing for more time to fix the problem, others remain wary of the stigma of Chinese ownership of the app. Concerns that TikTok’s extensive data collection capabilities could be misused for espionage or propaganda have kept some lawmakers skeptical.
Opinions differ among Republicans. While some maintain a hard line on TikTok, others, such as incoming Trump administration officials, seem open to finding a solution. Mike Waltz, Trump’s national security adviser, suggested measures to buy time and prevent TikTok from being shut down. Reports also suggest that TikTok’s CEO may attend Trump’s inauguration, signaling a potential thaw in relations.
Amid the uncertainty, many American TikTok users are exploring alternatives. RedNote, a Chinese social media app, has seen a rapid rise in popularity, gaining millions of new users almost overnight. While some users are excited to embrace the platform, others remain wary of its limits under Beijing’s censorship regulations.
For creators and businesses, the uncertainty surrounding TikTok is palpable. Many had hoped for a resolution to the legal and political battle, but now they are bracing for the worst. As the deadline approaches, all eyes are on the White House and the courts to determine whether TikTok will get a last-minute lifeline — or whether millions of users will have to start over on other platforms.
(Photo by Unsplash)
See also: TikTok users have embraced RedNote ahead of a possible ban in the US
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