【 Anchor’s Comment 】
The Chinese video platform TikTok is expected to inevitably suspend its services in the United States starting on the 19th due to security issues. However, if the U.S. President-elect Trump, who defends TikTok, takes office, there is a possibility that the enforcement of the law will be postponed, which could mean TikTok’s fate will go through a rollercoaster. Reporter Lee Sang-hyeop reports.
【 Reporter 】
Last April, the U.S. Congress passed the “TikTok Ban Act,” accusing TikTok of indiscriminately collecting personal information and having strong ties with the Chinese government.
Accordingly, if TikTok’s business rights in the U.S. are not sold by the 19th, which is 270 days after the law was passed, TikTok must suspend its services in the U.S.
TikTok’s parent company, ByteDance, filed for an injunction to halt the implementation of the law with the federal court, but it is unlikely to be accepted.
Even if the ban is enforced on the 19th, which would halt the services, President-elect Trump, who takes office on the 20th, might issue an executive order to delay the law enforcement.
During his first administration, Trump opposed TikTok, but he defended it by using the app during the recent election campaign.
▶ Interview: Donald Trump / U.S. President-elect (last December)
– “Our campaign used TikTok, and many people responded positively. Perhaps, it might be okay to leave TikTok as it is for now.”
In response to the “TikTok Ban Act,” some Americans switched to another Chinese social media app, Xiaohongshu, leading to a peculiar increase in new users by 700,000 in just two days.
▶ Interview: Joe Dietrich / Former TikTok User
– “Some apps, when just connected to Wi-Fi, leak more information than TikTok would collect.”
While TikTok’s CEO is invited and expected to attend Trump’s inauguration, the fate of TikTok is likely to be decided by the next president.
MBN News, Lee Sang-hyeop.
Video editing: Kim Mi-hyun
Graphics: Kim Ji-ye
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