Will Trump Ban TikTok?
As far as we can tell, the government is currently pushing ahead with the ban, arguing that TikTok presents a danger to national security. Trump was very much in favor of a ban and it was his administration who was driving limits against the company in 2020.
Under Biden, not much changed, with officials noting that ByteDance has been sending data on US customers onto China where it is not ring-fenced from the Chinese government. The ban will come into effect on January 19th, 2025.
However, as the election loomed, Trump did a staggering U-turn. In a video posted to his channel, he told followers, “For all of those who want to save TikTok in America, vote Trump,” accusing Joe Biden of wanting to “close it up.” Trump added: “I’m now a big star on TikTok. We’re not doing anything with TikTok.”
It will be an interesting conversation when security chiefs have to explain to the new President why national security concerns may take precedence over his need to build up his TikTok following.
