Not only the President-elect Donald Trump, but also some American parliamentarians are now insisting on a delay in the entry into force of the law on the ban of the TikTok social network in the United States, which was adopted in April. At the same time, TikTok management explained to its almost 7,000 employees in the United States that even if the platform is banned from operating on January 19, they will continue to receive salaries and other compensation due.
Thus, as Reuters explains, TikTok management seems to express hope for the ability to avoid a ban on the social network in the United States under the new political leadership of the country. Donald Trump made it clear that he will need some time to find a political solution to the problem of a potential ban on TikTok after taking office as US President on January 20 this year. In its address to American TikTok employees, the social network’s management said: “Our management team is focused on planning for various scenarios and developing a plan for moving forward.”
TikTok employees in the US have also been told that the law does not affect the companies that employ them, and that it is primarily the social network’s users who will suffer after it comes into force. TikTok’s US offices will continue to operate after January 19, even if the law banning the social network in its current form comes into force. All 7,000 employees will continue to receive all payments due to them.
Impact on Employees and Users
Technically, in the first stages after the law comes into force, the TikTok app will simply disappear from the Apple and Google app stores in the US, and existing users should not be disconnected from it – at least, this is required by law, notes NIX Solutions. The quality of TikTok’s services in the US will gradually degrade as the social network’s revenue declines, since the law will prohibit support for this platform from American advertisers and partners. It cannot be ruled out that this will be enough time for Trump’s team to return TikTok to American users, of whom there are about 170 million people.
Meanwhile, Reuters, citing The Information, reports that TikTok is preparing to deny American users access to its app as early as Sunday if the ban comes into force. Formally, the law does not require this, only prohibiting American TikTok users from downloading the app. It is assumed that TikTok will provide American users with the ability to save personal data, but when they try to log in to the app, it will redirect them to a site containing information about the ban on the social network in the United States. Of course, we’ll keep you updated on further developments regarding the future of TikTok in the country.