A Race Against Time: Lawmakers Rally to Save TikTok from Potential Ban

In a dramatic turn of events, two Democratic lawmakers have called on Congress and President Joe Biden to push back a looming deadline concerning TikTok’s future in the United States. As the clock ticks toward January 19, the pressure mounts on ByteDance, the app’s parent company, to divest its U.S. assets or face a potentially devastating ban.

During recent Supreme Court hearings, attorney Noel Francisco, representing TikTok and ByteDance, emphasized the impossibility of completing a sale within the tight timeframe. He warned that a ban would effectively extinguish the platform, which boasts 170 million American users, stating, “Essentially, the platform shuts down.”

Under current rules, President Biden has the authority to extend the deadline by 90 days if he certifies that ByteDance is making significant progress toward a divestiture. However, experts suggest that meeting such a requirement within a mere week is highly unlikely.

Senator Edward Markey has taken the initiative to propose legislation that would extend the deadline by 270 days, underscoring the potential fallout of a ban. “A TikTok ban would dismantle a one-of-a-kind informational and cultural ecosystem, silencing millions in the process,” Markey declared. He further argued that a ban would have dire consequences for countless Americans who rely on the app for social connections and economic opportunities.

Adding to the urgency, Representative Ro Khanna echoed these sentiments, urging both Biden and President-elect Donald Trump to pause the ban. “We cannot allow 170 million Americans to lose their free speech; millions of livelihoods hang in the balance,” he cautioned.

Should the court fail to halt the impending law by Sunday, new downloads of TikTok from the Apple and Google app stores will be prohibited, although current users may retain access for a limited time. However, the inevitable degradation of services looms, as companies would be barred from providing ongoing support.

With the stakes high and the deadline fast approaching, the future of TikTok—and the millions who depend on it—hangs in the balance.