Tiktok Could Get A 270 Day Extension To Make A Deal

TikTok’s luck mightiness not tally retired conscionable yet, if a caller measurement extending its January 19th deadline for a discarded is approved by Congress.

Sen. Ed Markey (D-MA), announced connected nan Senate level Monday that he plans to coming nan Extend nan TikTok Deadline Act to springiness nan institution an different 270 days to divest from its Chinese genitor institution ByteDance to debar facing a prohibition successful nan US. The measurement notably wouldn’t overturn Congress’ first bill, but it would springiness nan institution overmuch clip to make a deal, arsenic its ineligible options barren out. The Supreme Court is expected to find this week whether nan first law, nan Protecting Americans from Foreign Adversary Controlled Applications Act, violates nan First Amendment, arsenic applied to TikTok — but galore court-watchers foretell nan ruling is improbable to spell successful TikTok’s favor.

Markey voted to o.k. nan first law, which was included successful a overseas assistance package earlier nan Senate. And successful his remarks connected nan level Monday, he acknowledged that “TikTok has its problems.” But, he said, “a TikTok prohibition would enforce superior consequences connected millions of Americans who dangle connected nan app for societal connections and their economical livelihood. We cannot fto that to happen.”

The Senator revenge an amicus little successful precocious December — alongside Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY) and Rep. Ro Khanna (D-CA) — pinch nan Supreme Court successful support of TikTok and its creators, arguing nan norm does not guidelines up to First Amendment scrutiny. “Its main justification—preventing covert contented manipulation by nan Chinese government— reflects a desire to powerfulness nan contented connected nan TikTok level and successful immoderate arena could beryllium achieved done a small restrictive alternative,” they based connected successful nan brief. “And its secondary justification of protecting users’ accusation from nan Chinese authorities could not prolong nan prohibition connected its ain and too overlooks that Congress did not spot whether small drastic mitigation measures could reside those concerns.”

Even if Congress takes up nan deadline extension, ByteDance will look nan aforesaid determination it does now successful small than a year: whether it tin aliases wants to discarded TikTok. While prospective buyers personification expressed interest, it’s still unclear if nan Chinese authorities would beryllium consenting to discarded it — though immoderate caller reporting suggests they’re astatine slightest considering nan option.