[4] David Shepardson, Alexandra Alper & Echo Wang, China`s ByteDance gets Trump Nod to Avoid TikTok Shutdown, REUTERS (September 19, 2020), www.reuters.com/article/usa-china-tiktok/trump-gives-blessing-to-deal-to-allow-tiktok-to-continue-to-operate-in-us-idUSKCN26B01L. [3] www.cnbc.com/2020/07/10/could-the-us-government-ban-tiktok.html [7] US judge Bobby Alman stops Trump`s ban on TikTok hours before its launch, NPR (September 27, 2020) www.npr.org/2020/09/27/917452668/u-s-judge-halts-trumps-tiktok-ban-hours-before-it-was-set-to-start. [4] foreignpolicy.com/2020/07/24/trump-cant-ban-tiktok-free-chinese-apps/ [6] fortune.com/2020/08/25/tiktok-deal-transform-microsoft/ [2] www.theverge.com/2020/7/9/21315983/trump-pompeo-ban-tiktok-bytedance-chinese-social-media-national-security-censorship-methods [1] www.theverge.com/2020/8/10/21358505/trump-tiktok-wechat-tencent-bytedance-china-ban-executive-order-legal-sanctions-rules Even if a prohibition is Growing uncertainty about TikTok`s future has prompted ByteDance to explore alternatives to avoid a ban in the United States, where the app has at least 100 million monthly users. TikTok was recently valued at between $30 billion and $50 billion, according to media reports. Experts say there are two other options Trump could pursue to achieve an outcome similar to a ban. One of them would be to add TikTok and ByteDance to the U.S. Commerce Department`s list of entities, blacklisting foreign companies — which include other major Chinese tech companies — that are banned from doing business with U.S. companies. In some countries, yes. After a border skirmish that killed at least 20 Indian soldiers, India banned dozens of Chinese apps, including TikTok.
But it is important to realize that what happens in one country is not always an accurate indicator of what is likely or even possible in another. Syria banned the app because of alleged accounts created with the aim of smuggling people into Turkey across the Syrian-Turkish border and into Beirut through the Syrian-Lebanese border, allowing Syrians to travel to Europe, North America and other countries in Asia and the Middle East. While Nichols granted TikTok`s request to rescind the Sept. 27 download ban, the judge rejected the company`s request to stop Trump`s executive order, which would effectively shut down the app on Nov. 12 if the agreement to sell TikTok`s property to U.S. buyers is not finalized by then. Nichols said the bans, which set a Nov. 12 deadline, „should reasonably be the subject of a separate proceeding.” TikTok, along with 58 other apps created in China,[8] was completely banned by India`s Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology on June 29, 2020, with a statement stating that they affect „India`s sovereignty and integrity, India`s defence, state security and public order.” [9] The ban was a response to a military clash between Indian and Chinese troops in disputed areas along their shared border between Ladakh and western China. [10] [11] After a previous skirmish in 2017 between the armies of the world`s two most populous countries, the Indian military called on its troops to erase dozens of Chinese apps from their devices for national security reasons. Apps such as Weibo, UC Browser, and Shareit are among the apps that were removed back then and have now been banned completely. [8] Compared to other places, such as the European Union, which has imposed hefty fines on tech companies, it`s harder to hit tech companies where it hurts. Yes, it is a real thing, thanks to the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA).
But it`s complicated. It won`t matter for several reasons. First, if the president sanctions the company in the manner described above, TikTok would no longer be able to maintain its servers or other operations or property in the United States; It will have to operate entirely from foreign sites beyond the reach of IEEPA, i.e. China. Of course, it could continue to share content with US users from there. But what content would it be? TikTok relies on user-generated content, and the U.S. customer base depends largely (but not completely) on the popularity of users, who may no longer feel free to post on TikTok. This certainly applies to high-profile American TikTok „creators” and celebrities with massive TikTok followers. And when Charli D`Amelio and others give up in favor of the next big platform, they`re taking their audience with them. [14] The International Emergency Economic Powers Act: A Congressional Attempt to Control Presidential Emergency Power, 96 HARV.
1102,1110 (1983). This isn`t the first time ByteDance has faced a ban from its social media platform, but the latest in a long line of lawsuits, investigations, and issues that have plagued TikTok`s U.S. operations.