American-based TikTok users are again concerned as the social media platform faces an uncertain future in the United States. The deadline for the app to be banned is rapidly approaching, and the huge question remains: Will TikTok be permanently banned? The platform’s parent company, ByteDance, has until Saturday, April 5, to finalise a sale deal, or the popular social media app will be forced to shut down.
The app reportedly has 170 million US users, many of whom went into a chaotic frenzy when the app went dark months ago. The present looming deadline is an extension granted by President Trump, giving ByteDance additional time to find a buyer.
The matter of TikTok needing to find a buyer stems from the US government’s concern over the Chinese government’s potential access to TikTok user data. US officials expressed that China may also control the information on the social media platform in a way that results in the circulation of misinformation. This concern led to legislation being passed that required TikTok to be sold to a US entity.
Failure to do so would lead to punitive measures that include the US cloud providers and app stores ceasing to host the platform. According to reports, there are several companies who are interested in taking TikTok off ByteDance’s hands. Oracle, which plays a significant role as a cloud provider for TikTok, has emerged as a frontrunner for potential buyers, per reports.
A consortium of investors led by Frank McCourt is also on the list of potential buyers. Additionally, Microsoft and Walmart made bids in 2020, but their efforts did not lead to a successful sale. President Trump recently made a surprising announcement, which indicated that he would be willing to reduce the newly placed tariffs on Chinese imports if it could expedite a sale. This highlights the high stakes involved in this deal.
TikTok challenged the ban in the US Supreme Court with an argument that it violated the First Amendment rights and the rights of the users. However, the court ruled in favour of the national security concerns.
TikTok briefly went dark in January ahead of the original sale deadline, only to reappear when the deadline was extended by 90 days. With the clock ticking down to April 5, US users are now reacting with exhaustion, confusion, and frustration to the potential TikTok ban.