Biden administration looks for ways to keep TikTok available in the U.S.

[usonian]

Last edited Sat Jan 18, 2025, 12:10 PM - Edit history (1)

Source: NBC News

President Joe Biden’s administration is considering ways to keep TikTok available in the United States if a ban that’s scheduled to go into effect Sunday proceeds, according to three people familiar with the discussions.

“Americans shouldn’t expect to see TikTok suddenly banned on Sunday,” an administration official said, adding that officials are “exploring options” for how to implement the law so TikTok does not go dark Sunday.

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Mike Waltz, Trump’s incoming national security adviser, told Fox News on Wednesday that Trump is ready to intervene to preserve access to the Chinese-owned video app in the American marketplace.

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The moves represent parallel efforts by the rival presidents to execute an end-run around Congress and the Supreme Court, which is teed up to rule on the ban at any time.

Read more: https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/joe-biden/biden-administration-keep-tiktok-available-us-rcna187902

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EDITED COMMENTS: Jan 18, 2025

The ban was approved by USSC on Friday. A couple of points to add here.

1. See the Whitehouse statement of Jan 17.

https://www.democraticunderground.com/100219916144

Given the sheer fact of timing, this Administration recognizes that actions to implement the law simply must fall to the next Administration, which takes office on Monday.

And as to why Biden signed this: (CNN)
https://www.cnn.com/2024/04/20/tech/house-passes-legislation-that-could-ban-tiktok-in-the-us-amid-high-stakes-vote-on-foreign-aid/index.html

House passes legislation that could ban TikTok in the US amid high-stakes vote on foreign aid

A potential US ban against TikTok took a major step toward becoming reality on Saturday as House lawmakers approved a hot-button bill targeting the app as part of a wide-ranging aid package for Israel and Ukraine.

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By attaching the TikTok bill to funding for Ukrainian military equipment and Israeli missile defense, House Republicans put the pressure on Senate lawmakers to consider the whole package in a single up-or-down vote.

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“It is unfortunate that the House of Representatives is using the cover of important foreign and humanitarian assistance to once again jam through a ban bill that would trample the free speech rights of 170 million Americans, devastate 7 million businesses, and shutter a platform that contributes $24 billion to the U.S. economy, annually,” TikTok said in a post on X on Wednesday.