US National Security Advisor Walz said today that if a viable agreement can be reached, the new government will allow TikTok to continue operating in the US. The Democratic leader of the Senate also agreed to this, which has brought a ray of hope on the future of TikTok.
Washington, DC: The ongoing debate over TikTok’s future in the US amid national security concerns and political controversies has taken a new turn. White House National Security Advisor-designee Mike Walz today indicated that if a viable agreement is reached, TikTok may get a chance to continue operating. His statement has raised hopes of relief for millions of American users.
Walz said, “If there is sufficient progress in operations, the ban can be postponed for 90 days. The purpose of this is to find a temporary solution so that TikTok can avoid shutting down operations.” Biden government’s tough stance
In April last year, US President Joe Biden signed the “Protecting Americans from Applications Controlled by Foreign Adversaries Act” (PAFACA), commonly called the “Sell or Ban” law. Under this law, if TikTok’s Chinese parent company Bytedance does not separate from it, then a ban on TikTok in the US will come into effect from January 19.
Heavy pressure for TikTok
According to Reuters, TikTok has more than 170 million users in the US. But due to national security concerns, it has been ordered to separate from Bytedance by January 19. If this does not happen, TikTok will have to stop operations in the US.
Reaction of Senate leaders
Democratic leader Chuck Schumer in the Senate said, “TikTok should be given a little more time, but its security risks are also highly worrying. We need a solution that allows TikTok to continue working while keeping national security in mind.” He suggested that the deadline be extended to 270 days to resolve the issue.
Role of the Supreme Court
Meanwhile, the US Supreme Court is in the process of deciding whether the “sell or ban” law is constitutional. The court is expected to deliver its decision on January 17. This decision will decide whether to ban TikTok, declare the law unconstitutional, or temporarily suspend the ban.
Changing stance of the Trump administration and TikTok
When Trump was in the presidency, he tried to ban TikTok. However, last year he changed his stance on this. According to the New York Times, Trump is now considering an executive order allowing TikTok to continue operating until a US buyer is found.
According to sources, TikTok CEO Shou Zi Chew will be present at President Trump’s inauguration ceremony. An attempt is being made to show that the relationship between TikTok and the US administration is improving.
Cybersecurity experts say that the issues related to TikTok’s operations are not limited to national security. It will also affect American businesses, users, and political equations. If this ban is implemented, millions of users may be deprived of a popular platform.
Many members of the Democratic Party are now worried about the political impact of this ban. Banning TikTok may increase tensions between the US and China.
The clouds of crisis looming over TikTok’s operations have not yet completely cleared. Discussions are going on between the government, the Supreme Court, and politicians. A concrete solution is needed to strike a balance between national security and American users.
