TikTok resumed its services to its 170 million users in the United States after a short pause on Sunday (19/1) due to a Supreme Court ruling mandating its sale to an American company to continue operations in the country.
The legislation, passed by Congress, aims to safeguard national security by alleging that foreign firms could gather sensitive information from millions of Americans. TikTok expressed gratitude to President-elect Donald Trump for providing necessary clarification and reassurance, and mentioned plans to find a resolution to continue operating in the United States.
The president-elect plans to restore access to TiKTok in the United States using an executive order, with the condition that at least 50% of the app is owned by American investors, as per Reuters.
“I want the United States to own 50% of a partnership to protect TikTok and help it thrive,” he posted on the Truth Social platform.
ByteDance, the company that owns TikTok, confirmed its refusal to sell the US operation. Users were notified of the service’s unavailability due to new laws, leading to speculation about the app’s future. However, TikTok decided to suspend the service temporarily instead of letting it become outdated.
Judicial conflict and political consequences
The Supreme Court upheld the law limiting TikTok access if not sold, dismissing ByteDance’s First Amendment argument on freedom of expression. The ruling did not delve into concerns about Chinese influence on the platform algorithm.
National security officials cautioned that the application might be utilized by Chinese operatives to oversee Americans, an allegation that TikTok refutes. The Justice Department argued that the action safeguards national security, whereas China criticized the move as oppressive and vowed to protect its legitimate interests.
Trump said he talked about TikTok with Chinese President Xi Jinping on Friday and mentioned looking for a political resolution. TikTok CEO Shou Zi Chew is anticipated to be among the tech leaders meeting with the president-elect, continuing the conflict between national security and digital freedom.