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After news broke that a House-approved ban could jeopardize TikTok’s future, users and influencers are scrambling to understand the app’s fate, which hinges on China’s decision to sell the app or not.
According to the legislation passed by the House, ByteDance, TikTok’s Chinese owner, has six months to divest in order to keep TikTok active in the U.S. This news has left many influencers and casual users frustrated, especially those who rely on the app for income.
Despite widespread backlash, petitions, and outrage, ByteDance must sell its TikTok stakes in the coming months for Americans to continue using the app.
The U.S. government’s concern stems from the belief that TikTok’s current ownership poses a national security threat, as China could potentially use the app for spying on American citizens. Given these concerns, it is not surprising that the government is pushing for ByteDance to divest from TikTok.
However, ByteDance has indicated that it has no plans to sell its stake in TikTok and is prepared to resist any forced sale. Both ByteDance and Beijing have asserted that they will block the sale of TikTok if necessary.
While ByteDance’s current stance suggests that it will not sell TikTok, plans could change in the future. As such, TikTokers may not need to panic just yet.