On January 19, 2025, President-elect Donald Trump announced his intention to sign an executive order aimed at postponing the recent federal ban on TikTok, which took effect just hours earlier. Enacted for national security reasons surrounding the Chinese ownership of the app by ByteDance, this ban prevents the operation of the app in the U.S., except on the condition that the company divests from its parent company.
In a Truth Social post, Trump asked app stores and service providers to keep TikTok on, while negotiating outcomes. He stated, "I will sign an executive order on Monday to extend the timeline before the law's restrictions take effect, allowing us to negotiate a deal that protects our national security.".
The law that is enacting the ban bans TikTok distribution unless ByteDance sells TikTok U.S. business. This legislation was motivated by the concern that the Chinese authorities might use TikTok to get data on users in the US and broadcast propaganda. Noncompliance may lead to heavy penalties for the companies responsible.
Trump gave assurances to businesses that it would not be his position to hold those who help keep TikTok running responsible for any liability long after his ban takes effect. Yet, without specific information regarding the upcoming executive order, he did not disclose further information.
The success of Trump's action is still unknown, since it may lead to litigation against his executive order. Furthermore, firms may discover that this sequence is not sufficiently protective of them from being held liable for the penalties within the existing law, which has wide bipartisan support in Congress.
With millions of TikTok users in the U.S. caught in the web of disruption, the whole country will focus on how the Trump administration plans to deal with this delicate discussion of digital privacy and national security. The unfolding scenario draws to the surface the ongoing tension between technology and governance in a more and more digital world.