The controversial TikTok ban seems to be on track to become a real possibility now that Joe Biden has signed the bill that could put a ban into effect. Where will we ever learn to dance or make fun of women now?
In March, the House of Representatives passed a bill called “Protecting Americans From Foreign Adversary Controlled Applications Act,” that requires ByteDance, TikTok’s parent company, to sell the app or face a ban in the U.S. app stores, unless the app cuts connections to ByteDance within six months. This week, Biden signed the bill, and now ByteDance has about nine months to sell the app, which currently has over 150 million US residents. Biden also has the power to extend an additional 90 days if the company expresses interest in a sale.
At the time, it does not seem like ByteDance is on board with any type of sale, and TikTok is disappointed, though CEO Shou Chew says they are not backing down.
Our CEO Shou Chew’s response to the TikTok ban: pic.twitter.com/l0RAPJMobK
— TikTok Policy (@TikTokPolicy) April 24, 2024
But even if the ban moves forward, it does not mean TikTok will magically disappear from your phone in a Flappy Bird-esque frenzy. TikTok will still work even if the app gets deleted from online app stores, but it will be impossible to update the app, which would cause problems down the line. Eventually, the app will be rendered useless, though that would be at least a year out from now.
For now, the app will stay put, but after months of unresolved licensing issues, fans might have to settle for other activities. Like maybe going outside or touching grass, just to see what happens!