The unfolding saga around the popular video-sharing app TikTok took another turn Sunday as the company restored service to users based in the United States.
That service had been shut off Saturday night, but the company resumed operations in the U.S. on Sunday amid continued negotiations over whether it can avoid a permanent ban in U.S.-based marketplaces like Google and Apple.
Here’s a breakdown of the saga, and more on what happens next.
Why is TikTok back up?
After the service went dark on Saturday, the video platform returned on Sunday after what it called “necessary clarity” was given by President-elect Donald Trump, who takes office on Monday.
The company issued a statement saying the incoming president had pledged not to enforce penalties on service providers while negotiations continue over the app’s future.
Why was TikTok banned in the first place?
For several years, public officials have expressed concern about TikTok’s China-based ownership, calling the app a potential national security risk.
The parent company of TikTok, known as ByteDance, could be compelled to share user data with the Chinese government, according to officials. Concerns over that data sharing, and fears that users could be manipulated by Chinese propaganda on the app, led Congress to mull a ban of the app unless it divested itself from the company.
Multiple pieces of legislation, including one introduced by Illinois Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi, sought to sever ties between TikTok and ByteDance. A failure to divest would leave the company at risk of having its app banned in the Google and Apple stores on mobile devices in the United States.
A bill passed both houses of Congress in 2024, and was signed by President Joe Biden in April.
How did Illinois lawmakers vote on the bill?
Both Illinois Sens. Dick Durbin and Tammy Duckworth were among the 79 senators to vote in favor of the bill, which was part of a larger package that also included foreign aid to Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan.
Here’s how Illinois’ 17 Congressional representatives voted on the bill:
Yes: Mike Bost, Nikki Budzinski, Sean Casten, Bill Foster, Robin Kelly, Raja Krishnamoorthi, Darin LaHood, Mary Miller, Mike Quigley, Brad Schneider, Eric Sorensen, Lauren Underwood
No: Jesús “Chuy” GarcÃa, Jonathan Jackson, Delia Ramirez, Jan Schakowsky
Did Not Vote: Danny Davis
What is the current status of the app?
The future of TikTok was thrown in the air last week after the Supreme Court upheld the law banning the app, setting the stage for a shutdown on January 19.
TikTok shut down in the U.S. late Saturday night, but was restored on Sunday after the company received assurances from Trump that enforcement action would not be taken against service providers that allowed U.S. users to access it.
What comes next?
Even though the company itself has said it has received assurances from Trump that enforcement action won’t be taken, several high-profile Republicans have broken with the president over the issue.
That includes House Speaker Mike Johnson, who told “Meet the Press” Sunday that he believes the law will end up being enforced.
Sens. Tom Cotton and Pete Ricketts both remain in favor of a ban of the app barring a divestment from ByteDance, according to NBC News.
Still, the company is seeking avenues forward to allow U.S. users to continue using the app. The company’s CEO is expected to attend Trump’s inauguration in Washington on Monday, along with tech executives from other companies like Amazon and Meta.
At the state level in Illinois, efforts are still underway to curb access to the app even if the federal government reverses its ban. Illinois State Rep. Chris Miller introduced legislation earlier this month to prohibit the use of TikTok on state-owned devices, with the measure being sent to the Rules Committee for evaluation.
Other states have either debated or passed similar restrictions, but have faced legal action, raising questions about whether such a ban would be successful.
from NBC Chicago https://ift.tt/TerZBmz
No comments:
Post a Comment