The popular social media platform, TikTok, could face a possible ban in the U.S - unless President-elect Donald Trump is able to find a reversal for the policy.
The China - based parent company, Byte Dance, and the U.S have been in a legal battle for months over a federal law that would cut ties with the app for national and security reasons or stop operating in one of their biggest markets in the world.
Earlier this year in April, the Supreme Court passed a bill on the banning of TikTok in the U.S, citing that the Chinese government could possibly gain access to U.S citizens information through the app.
Since then, its 150 million users, ranging from corporate owners to average teenagers, have voiced their frustrations about the possible ban.
“I honestly think that the TikTok ban is pointless because everyone will just find a new social media platform to use,” said Amani Weather, HU student, a third-year English education major.
“I think the app being banned will cause a lot of problems with small businesses who use the app to sell their items and take away the connections that people build through the app,” said Maila Horton, a third-year psychology major.
The policy, which states that TikTok would need to find a parent company or face a possible ban, would go into effect on Jan. 19, 2025.
However, there has been word about the newly elected president making possible efforts to reverse the ban.
Experts say that reversal would present formidable political changes and legal hurdles, according to ABC News.
Although there is no definitive answer on how Trump will eliminate the ban, some say that there are strategies that he could take.
ABC News says one of the easiest ways to eliminate the ban would be for Donald Trump to ask Congress to repeal it.
Another possible strategy would be enforcement of a refusal to implement the TikTok ban; Trump could ask the Justice Department not to enforce it.
Since the policy states that TikTok would need to find another buyer, the final strategy for the president-elect is finding another buyer for the platform.
“It’s possible that he’ll try to force TikTok to come to some kind of deal with American buyers,” said James Lewis, a data security expert at the center for Strategic and International studies.
“It’s not likely. TikTok will hold out as long as they can,” Lewis added.
The ban is expected to take place the day before Trump’s inauguration and although there are some ways to save the app, time is ticking on implementing those ways.
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