President-elect Donald Trump announced on Saturday that he would likely grant TikTok a 90-day reprieve from the impending US ban. He stated that a decision would come after his inauguration on Monday.
The app, which boasts 170 million American users, is scheduled to shut down on Sunday, fueling nervous anticipation among its fans. By Sunday, the Chinese app must sever ties with its parent company, ByteDance, to resolve national security concerns.
A Supreme Court decision on Friday upheld the deadline, intensifying the pressure. The Biden administration dismissed TikTok’s Friday comments, accusing the app of stunts and reiterating its stance on security risks.
The White House affirmed in a statement issued on Saturday that it expects no action from TikTok until Trump’s administration takes over on Monday. Karine Jean-Pierre, the White House press secretary, highlighted this stance.
TikTok users have started sharing farewell messages as the app’s future hangs in the balance. Fitness influencer Britany Williams asked her 64,000 followers if the app would work throughout Sunday. Many users expressed frustration, pointing out the disruption caused by the looming TikTok ban in the US.
Meanwhile, rivals like Meta and Snap have benefitted from this turmoil, seeing stock value increases and users exploring alternatives. Marketing agencies have scrambled to prepare contingency plans while investors consider TikTok’s value, reportedly estimated at $50 billion.
As uncertainty grips creators and business partners, TikTok’s CEO plans to attend Trump’s inauguration. Industry experts hope this move signals progress on resolving the TikTok ban in the US.
