If you are a user ofTikTok, prepare yourself for a possible unpleasant surprise this weekend. The star appcould indeed disappearAmerican App Stores starting tomorrow,Sunday January 19, 2025, following a decision by the Supreme Court. But Donald Trump, who takes office on Monday, may have his say.
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A legal setback with serious consequences
On Friday, the highest American judicial bodyrejectedTikTok's appeal against the lawforcing ByteDance, its Chinese parent company, to sell its US activities before Sunday. Despite the popularity of the app with170 million Americans, the judges found that national security risks took precedence.
If nothing changes, it’s a real sword of Damocles that hangs over the heads of TikTok aficionados. Apple and Google would in fact be forced to remove the application from their respective stores, under penaltyrecord fines of $5,000 per user. A headache that is both technical and financial for the two giants.
TikTok CEO at the forefront of the nomination
In this tense context, TikTok CEO Shou Chew will nevertheless be present on Monday at the inauguration of Donald Trump. Invited to sit in a place of honor on the presidential dais, he will rub shoulders with other tech moguls like Mark Zuckerberg, Jeff Bezos andElon Musk.
A strong gesture from the new administration, even though the future of TikTok in the United States has never been so uncertain. Under the terms of the law, third-party providers like Apple and Google face stiff penalties if they continue to support a ByteDance-owned TikTok app after Sunday.
Trump, ByteDance's last hope?
If any company can still save TikTok, it might be… Oracle. The server giant indeed hosts the precious data of American TikTok users. The NyTimes reports on this subject:An Oracle spokesperson did not respond to repeated requests for comment. The company, which has close ties to the new Trump administration, has said in the past that its sales and profits would be affected by a ban on TikTok.
It is also the elected president who concentrates all of ByteDance's hopes. After wanting to ban TikTok during his first term,Donald Trump became an unexpected defender of the app during his campaign. His team even raises the possibilityof a presidential decree to circumvent the court decision.
A turnaround which strangely coincides with the meeting between Trump and Jeff Yass, Republican billionaire and shareholder of ByteDance. The latter has also hired several close friends of the president to defend TikTok in Washington. Enough to fuel speculation about a possible last minute “deal”.
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By : Keleops AG
