President Biden’s TikTok Policy: What It Means for Users as the Ban Decision Falls to Donald Trump

President Joe Biden’s TikTok Stance: Why the Ban Decision is Left to Donald Trump

President Joe Biden has decided not to enforce the impending ban on TikTok, leaving the decision to the incoming administration of President-elect Donald Trump. The ban, set to take effect on January 19, 2025, requires ByteDance, TikTok’s China-based parent company, to divest its U.S. operations or face prohibition.

TikTok, boasting over 170 million U.S. monthly users, plans to shut down the app on Sunday if the ban proceeds. However, President-elect Trump is considering executive action to delay the ban by up to 90 days. The U.S. Supreme Court is also fast-tracking a case from TikTok, which argues that the ban violates their First Amendment rights.

The Biden administration’s decision to defer enforcement aligns with their stance that TikTok should continue operating under U.S. ownership. Given the timing—just before a holiday weekend and a day prior to the presidential inauguration—the responsibility now shifts to the incoming administration to determine the app’s future.

Key lawmakers, including incoming National Security Adviser and top Senate Democrat Chuck Schumer, support extending the deadline for ByteDance to sell its U.S. assets, citing significant progress in negotiations. This extension aims to prevent disruption for millions of American users and address national security concerns.

As the situation develops, TikTok’s CEO, Shou Zi Chew, is set to attend President-elect Trump’s inauguration, indicating ongoing discussions between the company and the incoming administration.