# A Timeline of TikTok’s US Ban (and What Comes Subsequent)

So TikTok is now formally banned within the U.S., but in addition it’s not, and in addition, it’s solely banned for individuals who wish to obtain the app, whereas those that’ve beforehand downloaded it will possibly nonetheless use it. And Trump’s vowed that he’s going to reserve it, and make some huge cash for the U.S. as he does so.

Yeah, should you weren’t following the back-and-forth over the weekend (which little question each social media supervisor was, given the impression that it may have on their technique), TikTok is now form of unlawful for U.S. customers, however Trump’s trying to make it okay.

Which can or could not work.

Additionally, there’s been some confusion over Trump’s precise position within the TikTok saga, and whether or not he was the one who initially sparked the push that led to the weekend’s TikTok ban, which he’s now going to save lots of customers from.

That’s solely partially right.

Right here’s a full timeline of occasions within the still-ongoing TikTok possession chaos in America.

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July 2020 – After numerous governments moved to ban TikTok on official gadgets, then Secretary of State Mike Pompeo says that the U.S. was contemplating banning TikTok totally. President Trump then reinforces this, noting that he’s contemplating banning TikTok within the U.S. in retaliation for the COVID pandemic.

August 2020 – President Trump points an govt order to ban TikTok as a result of knowledge gathering and censorship performed within the app on behalf of the CCP.

September 2020 – A part of Trump’s govt order (banning downloads of the app) is blocked by the District Court docket for the District of Columbia, with the choose noting that the President “probably exceeded his authority by making an attempt to ban TikTok” with out sufficient proof or due course of.

October 2020 – Trump’s govt order is blocked by a federal choose, after a bunch of TikTok influencers problem the ban. The federal courtroom choose additionally notes that Trump has exceeded his authority by invoking emergency financial powers based mostly on hypothetical claims.

November 2020 – On attraction from the White Home, a second federal choose blocks Trump’s govt order, once more citing lack of proof of wrongdoing, and lack of due course of for TikTok and mum or dad firm ByteDance.

July 2021 – President Joe Biden points an govt order that revokes the Trump Administration’s makes an attempt to ban TikTok. On the similar time, the Biden Administration acknowledges issues concerning the “international adversary” managed app (so sure, Trump did provoke the push to ban TikTok, however that effort was initially based mostly on retaliation, not safety issues, and it failed and was shut down in 2021).

December 2022 – The Senate Intelligence Committee proposes a brand new invoice to “block and prohibit all transactions” in the USA by social media firms with not less than a million month-to-month customers which can be based mostly in, or below the “substantial affect” of, nations which can be thought of international adversaries.

March 2024 – After confidential briefings from cybersecurity consultants on the dangers posed by TikTok, home lawmakers approve laws that can pressure ByteDance to promote TikTok into U.S. possession. The home vote on the laws is 352 to 65.

March 2024 – Presidential candidate Donald Trump says he wouldn’t ban TikTok if he had a selection, regardless of safety issues, as banning TikTok would solely profit Meta. Trump says that Meta acted in a biased means when it banned his account in 2021.

April 2024 – Following one other confidential briefing from safety officers, the U.S. Senate passes laws that can pressure TikTok to be bought to a U.S. firm, or face a ban within the area. The invoice is handed 79-18. Shortly after, President Biden indicators the invoice into legislation, giving Bytedance 9 months (or until January nineteenth 2025) to promote TikTok to a U.S.-based proprietor.

June 2024 – Presidential candidate Trump joins TikTok.

September 2024 – After gaining hundreds of thousands of followers within the app, Trump vows to save lots of TikTok if elected, noting that he’s now a “large star” on the platform.

December 2024 – A U.S. appeals courtroom rejects TikTok’s bid to disqualify the U.S. authorities’s enforced sell-off invoice.

January 2025 – The Supreme Court docket upholds the TikTok sell-off invoice. 

• The Biden Administration says that it’ll not implement the TikTok ban on January nineteenth, leaving it to Trump and his group to enact the invoice as they select. But, even so, the accredited legislation goes into impact, leaving app suppliers with no selection however to take away TikTok within the U.S.
• President-elect Trump says that he’ll “most certainly” signal a 90-day extension for TikTok as soon as he’s inaugurated, although it’s not clear that that is potential looking back, because the legislation can have already been enacted.
• TikTok informs customers that it should go offline within the U.S.
• After a quick interval of unavailability (16 hours), TikTok is restored within the U.S., after Oracle accepts Trump’s assurances that they received’t be fined below the sell-off invoice. Apple and Google preserve TikTok out of their app shops for worry of prosecution.
• After his inauguration, Trump indicators an govt order instructing the Legal professional Normal to not take any motion to implement the TikTok sell-off invoice for a interval of 75 days, in an effort to permit Trump and his group “to find out the suitable course ahead in an orderly means that protects nationwide safety whereas avoiding an abrupt shutdown of a communications platform utilized by hundreds of thousands of People.”

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In order you possibly can see, TikTok is technically nonetheless banned within the U.S., based mostly on the Senate-approved invoice that went into impact on January nineteenth. It’s not clear that Trump is ready to challenge an govt order suspending a legislation that’s already been accredited, and that’ll be the subsequent battleground for the TikTok U.S.  

However Trump is assured that he can halt the invoice, and discover a new resolution, that finally sees TikTok develop into 50% U.S.-owned, and meets the necessities of the unique invoice.

Once more, to be clear, it stays totally unclear if that’s potential, or if TikTok could be unbanned through govt order from the President.

However for proper now not less than, TikTok is usually practical once more for People.