US President Donald Trump has extended the deadline for TikTok’s acquisition, giving the app an additional 75 days to find a non-Chinese buyer and navigate complex negotiations with multiple groups involved.
President Donald Trump has extended the deadline for TikTok‘s sale in the United States, giving the app an additional 75 days to find a non-Chinese buyer. This move comes after US lawmakers had originally called for the TikTok US business to be sold or shut down by January 19, 2025.
TikTok is a social media app developed by ByteDance, a Chinese technology company.
Launched in China in 2016 as Douyin, it was rebranded as TikTok for international markets in 2018.
The app allows users to create and share short-form videos, often set to “music or other audio”.
As of 2022, TikTok has over a billion active users worldwide, making it one of the fastest-growing social media platforms.
Its popularity stems from its engaging algorithm, which uses AI to curate content for each user.
Negotiations are ongoing between Trump‘s administration and TikTok, with Trump stating that his administration needed more time to negotiate a deal to keep the platform from having to shut down in the US. The extension is intended to ‘ensure all necessary approvals are signed.’ According to Trump‘s Truth Social post, his administration has been working hard on a deal to save TikTok and has made tremendous progress.
Multiple groups are involved in the negotiations, with Trump stating that his administration was in contact with four different groups about a prospective deal, without naming any of them. He expressed a desire to work with both China and TikTok to get the deal done. The US Congress had initially mandated that TikTok find a new owner by January 19 due to concerns over national security.
The ban was first proposed by ‘the President’ (referring to Donald Trump) but later signed into law by former President Joe Biden after a US federal judge ruled that the president did not have the authority to ban the app. Lawmakers feared that China could gain access to TikTok‘s personal data for the purpose of influencing political opinion in the country.
Chinese company ‘Bytedance‘ (referring to the parent company of TikTok), which owns TikTok, has repeatedly said the platform is not for sale. However, the company has stated that ‘key matters’ remain in talks with the US government over a potential solution to keep the platform running. Several US businesses have reported making offers to buy a share of TikTok.
TikTok also has offices in Singapore and Los Angeles, in addition to its Chinese headquarters. The app’s global presence has raised concerns about data security and censorship.
Data security refers to the practices and technologies used to protect digital information from unauthorized access, use, disclosure, disruption, modification, or destruction.
It involves implementing measures such as encryption, firewalls, and access controls to safeguard sensitive data.
Statistics show that 80% of companies experience a data breach at some point, highlighting the importance of robust security protocols.
Regular software updates, secure password management, and employee education are also crucial components of a comprehensive data security strategy.
