Joe Biden administration announced that they will leave the decision-making process regarding TikTok’s future in the USA to the new president Donald Trump. According to ABC News, the current administration reiterated its clear stance on this issue and argued that TikTok should operate under American ownership. “Our position on this process is clear: TikTok should continue to operate under American ownership,” a White House official said. “Since the implementation date of the law coincides with the day before the presidential oath ceremony, the solution of this situation is up to the next administration,” he said.
While uncertainty regarding the TikTok ban continues, it is stated that despite the vague assurances given by Donald Trump, legal obstacles have still not been eliminated to prevent the financial risks that companies such as Apple and Google may face. Similarly, in order for Joe Biden to resolve this situation, ByteDance must prove that it has taken concrete steps regarding the sale of TikTok to an American company.
Although the Biden administration has not made a statement on this issue, progress must be made in the sales process in order to technically obtain a 90-day extension. However, according to information received, ByteDance has so far focused on the legal fight against the law and has not given any signs of negotiations with potential buyers. On the other hand, some Democratic members of Congress, led by Senator Ed Markey, wrote a letter to Biden and called for a 90-day extension.
TikTok may choose to suspend its services
While TikTok is not directly required to cease operations by law, it may choose to suspend its services if it does not want to risk American service providers such as Oracle supporting its operations. TikTok, Oracle, Apple and Google have not yet made a statement about what attitude they will take when the ban comes into force on Sunday.
Moreover, the Supreme Court’s decision on the issue is eagerly awaited. In the statement made on Thursday, it was stated that the court could express its opinions on Friday at 18:00 Turkish time. However, since the court has not made a decision to stop the law so far, the ban is expected to technically come into force on Sunday. TikTok’s fate will depend on the steps taken by the Trump administration and the court.