Biden Signs Legislation Enforcing TikTok Ban: Implications for Users and Influencers

Staff Writer
President Joe Biden has enacted the widely-discussed TikTok ban into legislation. Consequently, the app's parent company is now obligated to either divest its ownership or risk a nationwide prohibition of TikTok in the United States.(Photo: Archive)

President Joe Biden on Wednesday signed the so-called TikTok ban into law, mandating the sale of the popular social media app by its parent company or facing a nationwide prohibition across the United States.

This contentious measure, greenlit by Congress, was inked by Biden today, indicating a significant shift in the fate of the app.

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Contrary to concerns regarding the abrupt disappearance of the Chinese-owned app from users’ devices, the reality suggests a more gradual transition.

Here’s the scoop on the TikTok ban:

• Effective Timeline: The ban, if implemented, would likely take at least a year to materialize. Under the Protecting Americans from Foreign Adversary Controlled Applications Act, ByteDance, the parent company of TikTok, has nine months to sell the app, with an additional three months if a sale is in progress. Failing this, TikTok faces removal from US app stores. Legal challenges may further delay the process.

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• User Impact: With 170 million American users, the ban won’t immediately erase TikTok from phones. Instead, access to the app will be restricted in US app stores, making downloads and updates more challenging. While users may temporarily circumvent this through methods like VPNs or foreign SIM cards, the app’s compatibility with device software may eventually lapse.

• Influencer Dilemma: Content creators and small businesses, heavily reliant on TikTok, fear the ban’s repercussions. Over seven million US businesses operate on the platform, and there are over 100,000 US-based influencers. Some, like Alex Pearlman, credit TikTok for transformative career opportunities. However, the ban raises uncertainties about the future of their earnings and content dissemination. Indian users who transitioned to platforms like Instagram post-ban report a different experience, suggesting challenges in replicating TikTok’s success elsewhere.

In essence, while the TikTok ban marks a significant regulatory move, its full implications for users and influencers remain uncertain, leaving many to ponder potential shifts in the social media landscape.

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