With TikTok, owner ByteDance became the first Chinese company to achieve global success with a consumer app. But amid rising U.S.-China tensions, the Trump administration has threatened to ban TikTok and other Chinese-owned apps, citing national security risks.
U.S. President Donald Trump has now given ByteDance and Microsoft until Sept. 15 to reach a deal. Microsoft is also looking to buy the app’s Canadian, Australian and New Zealand services.
July 6, 2020 – When asked by Fox News if the United States was looking at a potential TikTok ban, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo says: “we are taking this very seriously and we are certainly looking at it,” adding that TikTok user data could end up “in the hands of the Chinese Communist Party.”
August 6, 2020 – President Trump issues executive order banning transactions with TikTok and ByteDance, starting in 45 days. The president also issues an executive order prohibiting transactions with another Chinese social media app, WeChat.
August 14, 2020 – President Trump orders ByteDance to divest its interest in TikTok’s U.S. operations within 90 days.
MacDailyNews Take: So, barring any sale of TikTok to approved U.S.-based buyers, i.e. Microsoft by September 15th, Trump’s deadline of 90 days starting August 14th is Thursday, November 12, 2020.