TikTokers in the US may get some breathing room even if the US Supreme Court doesn’t vote in favor of the social media platform. A bill introduced in the Senate on January 13 could give TikTok another 270 days before the app faces a US ban if it does not divest from parent company ByteDance. The bill comes as rumors swirl days ahead of the January 19 TikTok ban deadline that suggests US users may just be trading one risk for another.
The Extend the TikTok Deadline Act, presented by Senator Ed Markey (D-MA) would extend the January 19 deadline by 270 days. The bill doesn’t change the earlier legislation requiring TikTok to sell outside China or face a ban in the US but simply extends the deadline for such a divesture to occur. Earlier legislation requires ByteDance to sell TikTok or face a ban in the US, with legislators citing national security concerns over the app’s China ties.
