The Biden administration’s plan to force the sale of TikTok by its Chinese owners or face a possible ban in the United States has hit a roadblock after Beijing announced its opposition to the sale. The White House now has few clear options, with President Biden having to consider either challenging China’s stand or seeking a ban, which would be difficult without congressional help. Any decision to remove the app may be more politically fraught for Mr. Biden than it would have been for Mr. Trump, given that TikTok has millions more users in the United States than it had in 2020. The roughly five-hour hearing with TikTok’s CEO on Thursday showed that political demand for action is building in Washington. About four dozen lawmakers took aim at the CEO, many accusing his company of close ties to the Chinese government. The Biden administration will need to weigh its options carefully, considering the political pressure building in Washington, as well as the implications of any decision on the millions of users who rely on TikTok.
The Fate of TikTok under Biden Administration: China’s Opposition, Sale, or Ban?
The Biden administration’s efforts to force a sale of TikTok by its Chinese owners have hit a roadblock following Beijing’s opposition to the sale. The Chinese Commerce Ministry has warned that forcing the transaction would undermine the confidence of investors from different countries to invest in the US.
The administration had earlier negotiated a deal to allow TikTok to continue operating in the US if it stored its US user data on domestic servers. However, the proposal was not favored by senior administration officials, who instead preferred ByteDance to sell the app. But now, with China’s objection to the sale, the administration is left with few options.
One option available to the administration is to challenge China’s stance or seek a ban. However, seeking a ban would be difficult without congressional help, as it could face legal challenges. Federal courts had earlier ruled that President Trump lacked the authority to ban TikTok from app stores. To address this, the White House endorsed a Senate bill that would give the Commerce Department the power to ban any app that endangered Americans’ security. If the bill is passed, the administration will have stronger legal grounds to ban TikTok.
Another option is for the administration to push a sale through a government body that screens foreign companies. This would dare Beijing to act against its opposition. Still, experts warn that such an approach could affect the confidence of investors worldwide, including China.
TikTok’s recommendations algorithm is its most valuable technology, the source of its success in attracting and retaining users worldwide. The administration has long feared that the Chinese government could use the app to spread propaganda or compel it to hand over sensitive data of American users.
The fate of TikTok has grown more complicated since President Trump urged ByteDance to sell the app in 2020. Following this, China revised its list of protected technologies, requiring ByteDance to seek government permission to sell the app to an American buyer.
Overall, the Biden administration faces a difficult choice between seeking a sale, challenging China’s opposition, or considering a ban without congressional support. Any decision made will have far-reaching implications for TikTok’s future and could affect the confidence of investors worldwide.
TikTok Ban More Politically Fraught for Biden Than Trump Amid Political Pressure
The Biden administration’s plan to force the sale of TikTok by its Chinese owners or face a possible ban in the United States has hit a roadblock after Beijing announced its opposition to the sale. The White House now has few clear options, with President Biden having to consider either challenging China’s stand or seeking a ban, which would be difficult without congressional help.
However, any decision to remove the app may be more politically fraught for Mr. Biden than it would have been for Mr. Trump, given that TikTok has millions more users in the United States than it had in 2020. The roughly five-hour hearing with TikTok’s CEO on Thursday showed that political demand for action is building in Washington. About four dozen lawmakers took aim at the CEO, many accusing his company of close ties to the Chinese government.
The Biden administration will need to weigh its options carefully, considering the political pressure building in Washington, as well as the implications of any decision on the millions of users who rely on TikTok.
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