The year 2020 has been exceptionally difficult for almost everyone alive today on this planet. But for TikTok, this year has proved to be a roller-coaster ride with one setback after another. Despite all this chaos, the app is still one of the most widely used apps in the world, so hats off to it for maintaining its stature.
However, its fate in the US remains an enigma. In fact, recent developments have further complicated the whole situation and now everything is pretty confusing.
First off, let’s talk about the recent statement by the US Commerce Department, which said that it will comply and abide by an injunction that was issued on 30th October by the District Court in the Eastern District of Pennsylvania. According to this ruling, TikTok’s operations in the US were supposed to be blocked from 12th November. Now, the department was all set to comply with this ruling by enjoining and taking it into immediate effect, but suddenly, the US Department of Justice came forward like a shining knight to save the ‘app in distress!’ The Department of Justice came up with an appeal to the Pennsylvania court’s ruling. This appeal has come in response to a lawsuit that was filed by three TikTok creators (influencers,) who have more than a million followers on TikTok, and whose lives depend on the money they earn through brand collaborations on TikTok.
Now, here comes another twist in the story. The US Court of Appeals in Washington issued a new set of deadlines and ultimatums for ByteDance, the Chinese conglomerate that owns TikTok. The Court of Appeals has issued some deadlines for Donald Trump’s administration also to present and file documents related to a divestment order that forced ByteDance to sell off TikTok’s US operations if it wants to continue functioning in the US.
Now, this divestment order was given by the Trump government and ByteDance had even complied with it. The company was in talks with Oracle and Walmart and they had even reached an agreement in September, but that deal is also covered in the clouds of uncertainty.
The series of cases and lawsuits do not end here. ByteDance also filed a case against the US government in a federal appeals court in Washington D.C. ByteDance has been asking the court to take the orders back for the company to sell off TikTok’s US operations, and this lawsuit was filed because ByteDance was not getting any extension in the deadline for 12th November. The company was left with no other choice but to file a petition to defend their rights and the rights of more than 1500 TikTok’s employees in the US.
Let us continue to wait to see how this whole thing unfolds and what happens to TikTok eventually!
However, its fate in the US remains an enigma. In fact, recent developments have further complicated the whole situation and now everything is pretty confusing.
First off, let’s talk about the recent statement by the US Commerce Department, which said that it will comply and abide by an injunction that was issued on 30th October by the District Court in the Eastern District of Pennsylvania. According to this ruling, TikTok’s operations in the US were supposed to be blocked from 12th November. Now, the department was all set to comply with this ruling by enjoining and taking it into immediate effect, but suddenly, the US Department of Justice came forward like a shining knight to save the ‘app in distress!’ The Department of Justice came up with an appeal to the Pennsylvania court’s ruling. This appeal has come in response to a lawsuit that was filed by three TikTok creators (influencers,) who have more than a million followers on TikTok, and whose lives depend on the money they earn through brand collaborations on TikTok.
Now, here comes another twist in the story. The US Court of Appeals in Washington issued a new set of deadlines and ultimatums for ByteDance, the Chinese conglomerate that owns TikTok. The Court of Appeals has issued some deadlines for Donald Trump’s administration also to present and file documents related to a divestment order that forced ByteDance to sell off TikTok’s US operations if it wants to continue functioning in the US.
Now, this divestment order was given by the Trump government and ByteDance had even complied with it. The company was in talks with Oracle and Walmart and they had even reached an agreement in September, but that deal is also covered in the clouds of uncertainty.
The series of cases and lawsuits do not end here. ByteDance also filed a case against the US government in a federal appeals court in Washington D.C. ByteDance has been asking the court to take the orders back for the company to sell off TikTok’s US operations, and this lawsuit was filed because ByteDance was not getting any extension in the deadline for 12th November. The company was left with no other choice but to file a petition to defend their rights and the rights of more than 1500 TikTok’s employees in the US.
Let us continue to wait to see how this whole thing unfolds and what happens to TikTok eventually!
Photo: Costfoto / Barcroft Media / Getty Images
