The President of the United States has temporarily halted the enforcement of a law called the “Protecting Americans from Foreign Adversary Controlled Applications Act.” This law aims to limit the use of apps controlled by foreign adversaries like TikTok for national security reasons. The order stops the distribution, maintenance, and updates of apps owned by ByteDance, the company behind TikTok, starting from January 19, 2025.
The 75-day suspension aims to give the new government time to evaluate security concerns and seek ways to safeguard national security without suddenly halting the platform’s usage by 170 million US users. Throughout this timeframe, the Department of Justice will refrain from imposing legal penalties.
What comes next?
Trump cannot revoke the TikTok ban solely through an executive order, as seen in his previous attempt during his first term. The new order directs the Department of Justice to refrain from enforcing the American Protection Act on foreign-controlled apps for the next 75 days.
Trump stated that the timing of the law, which was enacted the day before he took office, hinders his ability to assess the national security and foreign policy implications of the law’s restrictions before they take effect.
The current status of TikTok is still unclear, as the app has started to resume its services following Trump’s pledge to support the platform, but the consequences of this action are yet to be determined.
The pressure for TikTok to be acquired by an American company may rise, particularly if the government maintains its worries about national security. This tense situation could affect the app’s future and its millions of daily users.
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