TECH NEWS – TikTok’s CEO plans to attend Donald Trump’s (re)inauguration to try to ensure that the Chinese platform is not banned in the US.

TikTok has been in the news for some time now, having been deemed a national security risk by the Biden administration. It is also under pressure to introduce age restrictions to reduce the harmful effects on teenagers. Its business in the US remains controversial, and the government and law enforcement agencies have tried to ban the company or force it to divest. The federal law banning the platform goes into effect this Sunday. While the restrictions do not require a complete shutdown of the app, the company is reportedly planning a complete shutdown in the US. While the ban could be extended until the platform’s fate is decided, TikTok’s CEO is currently planning to attend Donald Trump’s inauguration.

However, Chinese officials have denied that Elon Musk would buy the US subsidiary of TikTok after Twitter. We have also heard that a US senator is asking for a 270-day extension of the ban under a new law. While it is not yet known what will happen to TikTok, we are now hearing that TikTok CEO Shou Chew will attend Trump’s inauguration. According to the New York Times, Shou Chew will join Mark Zuckerberg, Jeff Bezos and Elon Musk in a place of honor on the podium with all the important guests and family members. It is also said that OpenAI CEO Sam Altman has also donated to the inaugural committee and may even attend the inauguration.

TikTok has not yet commented on its participation in the inauguration or the fate of the company. What is surprising is that Trump sees a change in the way TikTok and the app are banned. After all, he was the one who initially called for strict measures against the platform, but later changed his tune towards the app, which could be due to the platform’s vital role in political engagement. Given its growing importance to both users and political campaigns, a ban could cause a major outcry in the community.

Perhaps Trump will eventually reverse the ban, but either way, it seems like a desperate move on ByteDance’s part.

Source: WCCFTech