What will happen to TikTok as extended deadline for ban looms
Chances are you watched many a tearful farewell video on your For You Page on TikTok not long ago, when everyone thought it was being banned for good.
In January, the platform faced a US-based ban after it's parent company, ByteDance, had failed to locate a new buyer. TikTok and ByteDance were accused by US officials of being a 'national security risk' and having links to the Chinese government, which both denied.
They were given a deadline of 19 January to find a non-Chinese buyer or face being banned, and soon enough, the day came and nothing had progressed, leading to the app to be shut down.
However, the ban was only temporary as TikTok received a last minute reprieve from Donald Trump, who'd taken to the platform during his presidential campaign. He ended up delaying the deadline by 75 days with an executive order he signed in his first few hours in office.
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Now, as 5 April looms nearer and nearer, a few companies have reportedly expressed interest in buying the video platform, however, there's been no takers as of yet.
So what will happen if TikTok again fails to secure a buyer?
What will happen on 5 April?
If TikTok doesn't find a buyer, then essentially we'll get a repeat of 19 January.
However, according to Reuters, Trump has said as recently as March 30 that a deal was underway. He also hinted that if it wasn't successful that he might delay the deadline further.
Vance has also told NBC News that he is hopeful a deal will be reached by the deadline, adding: "There will almost certainly be a high-level agreement that I think satisfies our national security concerns, allows there to be a distinct American TikTok enterprise.
"We'd like to get it done without [an] extension."
Who wants to buy TikTok?
According to PBS, a number of companies have expressed interest in purchasing TikTok.
The publication reports that several aides of Vice President, JD Vance, have reached out to potential buyers, including AI intelligence startup, Perplexity AI, who'd presented ByteDance with a plan to combine the two businesses together.
Trump said that Microsoft was also a possible option, while Rumble, a video site, said it was interested in joining the group of those interested in purchasing the company.
Are TikTok users still able to access it?
CNET says if you've got the app downloaded on your phone, then you can still access it. If it is removed from the app store, it means new users won't be able to download it, but you also won't be able to update it.
One option to try and get round it is to use a virtual private network, better known as a VPN.
What exactly does a VPN do? It's a privacy tool which can hide your IP address which gives away your location, so by using it it can mask it by rerouting you through a server in the UK instead of the US, so gives a loophole to make it seem like you're not in the US if it is banned.
It can make it look like you're in another country where TikTok isn't banned.
Topics: TikTok, Technology, Politics, US News, Social Media
Jen Thomas