U.S. President Donald Trump has signed an executive order postponing for 75 days the ban on TikTok that was to take effect on January 19. The move gives the new administration time to determine how to proceed with the platform.
Congress had earlier passed a law requiring the Chinese company ByteDance, which owns TikTok, to sell its stake in the app by January 19, citing national security risks. Since this requirement was not met, TikTok suspended its operations in the United States on January 18, but later resumed operations thanks to Trump's intervention.
President Trump also suggested that the US government could own 50% of TikTok if China approved such a deal. This has caused uncertainty among users and business partners about the future of the app.
Despite the signed decree, TikTok remains unavailable in the Apple and Google app stores. The legal basis for this decision raises questions, as the bipartisan law allows for a 90-day extension if ByteDance starts the sale process.
China has expressed its readiness to reach an agreement that would allow TikTok to continue operating in the United States. This adds to optimism about the platform's future in the country.