A ban on the popular TikTok app was recently pushed back once again. The app has remained popular during the months of conflict with the U.S. government which, has seen accusations of national security thrown at TikTok. For the time being, the social media platform continues to be locked in a legal battle with the U.S. government, but will a ban remain a priority for the Trump administration going forward?
Earlier in the year, the Trump administration declared TikTok a national security risk and put into motion a situation that looked to force TikTok’s parent company, ByteDance, into selling the U.S. side of its operations. The wariness came from concerns over data privacy, with the Trump administration claiming TikTok’s data is being shared with the Chinese government. India and other countries have also banned (or considered banning) the app over similar claims of national security. However, TikTok pushed back against the allegations in the U.S., and even filed its own countersuit. ByteDance also attempted to strike a deal with Oracle and Walmart to help appease concerns over where data is stored and who it is shared with.
On November 12, the U.S. Department of Commerce confirmed it would honor a preliminary injunction that TikTok was granted by a Philadelphia court in late October. For now, users of the app can feel at ease with the platform continuing to operate as normal. However, what happens next with the the ban is less clear, and especially considering it has only been delayed.
Will Trump Administration Continue With TikTok Ban?
The TikTok ban was scheduled to take effect on November 12, but with the election now over and the Trump administration's priorities potentially shifting, the question of whether the ban will ever happen is more open-ended than ever before. Should the issue fall in the lap of the Biden administration, it is unclear exactly how the new administration will view the issue and proceed, if at all. While the President-elect is likely to share any genuine concerns over U.S. user data being shared with other countries, TikTok has since been making changes to reassure those involved. Therefore, Biden may not see a TikTok ban as a priority after taking office, especially while the United States continues to grapple with the ongoing pandemic.
Of course, that's all once Biden take office. In the meantime, Trump remains the President and it is possible the current administration will want to pursue the actions it has taken over the past few months and implement the ban. However, the Trump administration's legal teams appear to be busy at the moment with voter fraud accusations and challenges. As a result, it would seem unlikely that the Trump administration's focus will return to TikTok anytime soon.
Source: Department of Commerce, US District Court of Columbia