With just days left before the January 19 deadline, U.S. lawmakers are urging President Joe Biden to extend the timeline for China-based ByteDance to sell TikTok’s U.S. assets—or risk a nationwide ban of the popular social media app.
The Looming Ban and Legal Challenges
The Supreme Court recently heard arguments in TikTok and ByteDance’s challenge to the law, which requires the Chinese parent company to sell its U.S. operations or face a shutdown. During the hearing, TikTok’s lawyer, Noel Francisco, argued that it would be “impossible” to complete a sale by next week’s deadline. If the ban goes into effect, the app, which has 170 million American users, would “quickly go dark.”
Under current law, Biden has the authority to extend the deadline by 90 days if he determines that ByteDance is making significant progress toward selling TikTok. However, reports suggest that ByteDance is unlikely to meet the required standard for an extension.
Lawmakers Call for More Time
In response, Senator Edward Markey announced plans to introduce legislation to push the deadline back by an additional 270 days. He warned that banning TikTok would “dismantle a one-of-a-kind informational and cultural ecosystem, silencing millions in the process.”
Markey and other lawmakers argue that banning TikTok would severely impact content creators, businesses, and everyday users who rely on the app for income and communication.
Representative Ro Khanna also called on Biden and President-elect Donald Trump to pause the ban. He emphasized that “170 million Americans shouldn’t lose their free speech,” adding that millions of jobs and businesses depend on TikTok.
Trump’s Stance on the TikTok Ban
Surprisingly, Donald Trump, who previously attempted to ban TikTok during his presidency, has now asked the Supreme Court to delay the ban’s implementation until after he takes office on January 20. He believes that his administration should have the opportunity to “pursue a political resolution” rather than forcing an immediate sale or ban.
What Happens If the Ban Goes Into Effect?
If the law isn’t blocked by Sunday, the impact will be immediate:
- New TikTok downloads will be banned from Apple and Google app stores.
- Existing users will still be able to access the app for some time, but services will gradually degrade as updates and support are blocked.
- Eventually, the platform will stop working entirely as companies are barred from providing services to TikTok in the U.S.
At this point, the White House has not commented on whether Biden will grant an extension. However, pressure is mounting from both lawmakers and millions of American TikTok users who are waiting for answers.
