President Donald Trump signed an executive order extending the U.S. TikTok ban deadline for the third time, pushing it back to Sep. 17.
The purpose of the extension is to allow for negotiations to bring TikTok, owned by China’s ByteDance, under American ownership to ensure national security.
The big picture: This decision marks the third delay by Trump, with the first delay happening in January upon his return to office and the second delay in April after a prospective deal fell through.
- Trump has acknowledged the popularity of TikTok, boasting over 15 million followers gained on the platform and attributing it to his success in the election among young voters.
- Despite expressing a fondness for the platform, Trump emphasized the need to protect it and hinted at a possible future extension if necessary.
Flashback: Former President Joe Biden also took steps regarding TikTok by signing a bill in April that required ByteDance to sell the platform to a U.S.-approved buyer within nine months or face a ban.
- Lawmakers have been concerned about data security, privacy, and possible Chinese government influence on TikTok’s content, leading to heightened scrutiny and actions surrounding the social media platform.
