Joe Biden makes decision on whether to enforce TikTok’s 'immediate shutdown' this weekend
As millions of TikTok-using Americans continue saying their 'goodbyes' to loyal followers ahead of TikTok's supposed US ban this weekend, Joe Biden has finally made his stance clear on the controversial legislation.
For those out of the loop, the Supreme Court recently ruled that TikTok will no longer be available for download in the States from Sunday, 19 January.
The decision was made after officials accused the video-sharing app and it's parent company ByteDance of being a national threat, due to its ties with the Chinese government.
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Despite ByteDance denying any reports that it was considering selling its US operations, legislation that required that ByteDance divest TikTok on national security grounds or face a mass ban was signed and supported by Joe Biden in April 2024.
Today, however, US officials have provided an update on the supposed 'immediate shutdown', claiming President Joe Biden will not be enforcing the TikTok ban next week, the day before he leaves the White House.
Before the celebrations kick in, however, this means that the decision will fall to incoming president Donald Trump.
Democratic leader Biden will exit the Oval Office and hand the presidential reigns over to Republican opponent Trump on Sunday 19, with the app potentially being saved by his re-entrance into the White House.
The unnamed government official told Sky News today (17 Jan) that Biden planned to leave the decision to Trump's administration, who'll be inaugurated into the leading role for a second time next week.
Trump defeated Democratic candidate Kamala Harris by a landslide in November 2024 - though the prospect of his return to presidency has been unsettling for many Americans, particularly when considering his stance on women's rights.
When it comes to technology, however, Trump had previously vowed to keep TikTok available for US users - a decision that will need to be finalised by his transition team next week.
The father-of-five's latest stance on the app, however, is vastly different to that of his first term as president, when the now 78-year-old had sought to see it banned.
During his 2024 campaign, however, he claimed he'd 'save TikTok', seemingly in a plea to receive more votes from younger citizens.
Interestingly, many other left-wing leaders seemingly agree with Trump on the matter of the social media app, as opposed to Biden.
Amongst them is Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer, who revealed on the senate floor earlier today that he'd spoken to Biden a day earlier about the possibility of extending the deadline for the TikTok ban.
"It's clear that more time is needed to find an American buyer and not disrupt the lives and livelihoods of millions of Americans, of so many influencers who have built up a good network of followers," the politician explained.
Topics: TikTok, Social Media, US News, News, Politics, Joe Biden, Donald Trump
Rhianna Benson