Bytedance, owner of Tiktok, must sell its US business. Otherwise Tiktok will be blocked there. Will Bytedance do this? If not, how will the ban be enforced? Some questions and answers.
It's all about this: Following the House of Representatives, the US Senate also voted on a law requiring short video platform Tiktok's parent, Bytedance, to sell its US business within a year. Otherwise access to Tiktok will be blocked. So Tiktok will actually be banned in the US. With the signing of President Joe Biden, the law has now gone into effect.
That's what supporters say: Tiktok is suspected of espionage in many countries. Bytedance and Chinese authorities have repeatedly rejected these claims. US lawmakers from both Democratic and Republican parties view the app as a national security risk because the government in China may force the company to hand over user data.
Facts about Tiktok in USA
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The online service is located in the USA 170 million Users. That's about half the population. The application is primarily in Young common.
Staff from all authorities and the US House of Representatives had to use Tiktok on their devices Mobile phones work delete.
several Universities of the country blocked access to the video platform over their WiFi networks.
US intelligence agencies have warned that Beijing may try to use Tiktok Presidential elections to influence.
This is what opponents saySome have called for national security concerns to be presented to the public before being voted on in the Senate. Others believe that the law will not withstand judicial review because freedom of expression is a valuable asset in the United States. Former US President Donald Trump had already tried to ban TikTok during his presidency, but failed in court. Young people are also criticizing the potential ban. The app is important for them to follow political issues and share their opinions.
This is how Tiktok reactsThe video platform had previously criticized the potential ban, describing it as an attack on freedom of expression. Tiktok is expected to file a lawsuit against the law. Their lawyers will likely seek an injunction to prevent the law from being implemented until its constitutionality is reviewed. This process could continue until next year. A similar lawsuit against the ban in the US state of Montana obtained an injunction. The process is still ongoing.
Tiktok is suspending Tiktok Lite rewards features for now
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After the European Commission opened another case against Tiktok, the online platform temporarily suspended functions critical of the Tiktok Lite app version. “TikTok is always committed to working constructively with the EU Commission and other regulatory authorities,” the Chinese company announced on Wednesday. “Therefore, we are voluntarily suspending the rewards functions of Tiktok Lite while we address the concerns they have expressed.”
The “Lite” version of the app was launched in Europe in April in France and Spain. Brussels authorities announced on Monday that they wanted to examine whether the company was endangering the mental health of minors and violating European Union rules. People are especially interested in the quests and rewards program. This allows users to collect points when they complete certain tasks – such as watching videos or liking content. This can lead to addiction and is particularly concerning for children, as it is not clear whether users' age is effectively verified.
Who can control Tiktok? Analysts see Microsoft and Oracle as potential buyers for Tiktok's business in the United States. The two US companies have already expressed interest in the past. Several financial investors and consortia are also available, including one led by former US Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin.
Will you sell Bytedance? According to experts, Bytedance will never sell Tiktok including algorithms that, among other things, suggest new clips to users. They fall within the technologies whose export requires state approval from the government in Beijing. This clip was introduced when Trump tried in vain to force a sale of Tiktok. According to experts, without algorithms, Tiktok would be worth much less than it currently is.
This is what happens with Tiktok bans: If Bytedance does not spin off its US subsidiary business within the deadline, Apple or Google will have to kick Tiktok from their app stores. In addition, US companies are no longer allowed to run Bytedance-controlled corporate services on their servers. This would make it impossible for US users to access Tiktok.
Tiktok is not only under attack in the US:
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Completely banned:
China: Tiktok is banned in China. For 1.4 billion people, there is only China's censored version of Douyin.
India: The country banned Tiktok and dozens of other apps from Chinese companies nationwide in 2020 due to tensions with its neighboring country.
Nepal: According to media reports, the country issued a complete ban on the Tiktok app in November 2023. According to the AP news agency, the platform is also in Afghanistan And Pakistan Forbidden.
Ban on Mobile phones work For government employees:
European Union: EU Commission employees are not allowed to use TikTok on work devices. This also applies to private devices registered with the Authority. The video app is also taboo on the European Parliament's smartphones.
Great Britain: The government in London has banned the Tiktok app from all business mobile phones. However, state employees are allowed to use the video app on their own cell phones. In addition, the House and Senate prohibit access to the platform through official devices.
Germany: Federal Press Office employees are prohibited from using the Tiktok application on their work devices. Employees of all federal agencies were advised not to install it.
Austria: As in some other countries, public employees are not allowed to use Tiktok on their mobile phones at work. Special devices are not affected.
New Zealand: The island nation blocks access to Tiktok via the government network.
Taiwan: The island nation banned Tiktok and some other Chinese apps from state employees' mobile phones at the end of 2022.
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