Bytedance v. Biden
After years of debates and speculations regarding the fate of TikTok, a decision was finally made to move forward with officially banning the app in The United States. On Apr. 24, 2024, former President Joe Biden signed a bill establishing that if TikTok was not sold to an American company in eight months, it would be banned on Jan. 19, 2025. TikTok is currently owned by a Chinese-based company, Bytedance. Since 2020, major concerns from American government officials, including President Trump during his first term, have been voiced pertaining to the security of this app. Due to the app being owned by a Chinese company, many citizens and politicians believe that Bytedance is accessing sensitive information through the app, and manipulating the algorithm to send certain messages or implications. TikTok’s legal team took the United States government to court with the argument that the ban violated the First Amendment right of free speech.
The Ban
On Jan. 18, 2025, Americans began mourning the tumultuous experience that was TikTok. Many content creators, who used TikTok as a vessel to fame, began posting saved videos to commemorate the fun memories associated with the app. Influencer Bryce Hall arranged to reunite with his former collaborators to make the last few entertaining videos they would ever produce, as their TikTok career was quickly slipping away. About an hour before midnight, when TikTok was anticipated to stop working for Americans, the app was officially banned. A message appeared across all American electronics claiming that the law to ban TikTok had officially been initiated, and TikTok planned to work with President Trump in order to form a solution. Many American users raced to other social media platforms to express their disdain and frustration at this piece of legislation.
The Solution
On Jan. 20, 2025, just twelve hours after the app was officially banned, TikTok returned to American users. American users were greeted with a message from TikTok, thanking users for their patience and President Trump for his active participation in reinstating the app. Directly following his inauguration, Trump made an executive order to postpone the TikTok ban by seventy-five days. Excited content creators flooded back onto TikTok to interact with relieved fans, continue creating trends, and start drama. TikTok users have mostly returned to normalcy, despite the unclear future of their beloved app. What will happen at the end of Trump’s extension? Will Bytedance attempt to sell TikTok, or further oppose the ban? Eager content creators and small business owners anxiously await the verdict.
