President Trump has issued a new executive order that gives ByteDance 90 days to spin off its TikTok US business.
This is an extension from the previous deadline of 45 days, meaning ByteDance must sell the US part of TikTok by 12 November instead of 20 September.
Trump’s threat is that if the US operations of TikTok go unsold, the app will be banned in the States. He personally allowed Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella to pursue a purchase of the US arm of TikTok, with talks ongoing, but it’s still unclear how such a deal would practically work.
The new order asks ByteDance also to divest any data that TikTok gathered in the US including from the app Musical.ly which was bought by ByteDance in 2017.
In a statement to The Verge, TikTok said:
“As we’ve said previously, TikTok is loved by 100 million Americans because it is a home for entertainment, self-expression, and connection. We’re committed to continuing to bring joy to families and meaningful careers to those who create on our platform for many years to come.”
Author: Henry Burrell, Phones Editor
Henry is Tech Advisor’s Phones Editor, ensuring he and the team covers and reviews every smartphone worth knowing about for readers and viewers all over the world. He spends a lot of time moving between different handsets and shouting at WhatsApp to support multiple devices at once.