TikTok Says Trump Admin Forgot About Ban
Remember last August, when the hottest pop-culture story on everybody's lips was the Trump administration's war on TikTok, with POTUS himself signing an executive order in an unsuccessful attempt to ban the social networking app? For more than a month, it was seemingly all anyone could talk about.
From think pieces on the ban's digital implications ...
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.. to Vox analyses ...
... to pop culture publications sharing "hacks" for keeping the app on your phone ...
@bustle
... and, of course, TikTok influencers urging their fans to follow them on other platforms ...
@keemokazi
... TikTok's theoretical demise dominated the national conversation -- until suddenly it didn't. And users aren't the only ones who let the news slip their mind. According to The Verge, TikTok says the Trump administration, specifically the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS), seemingly forgot about this tech drama, leaving them in the dark for weeks regarding the upcoming deadline for their parent company to rid themselves of their U.S. assets due to concerns over national security. The deadline for this divestment was November 12, a.k.a this Thursday, and although the app applied for a 30-day extension, they say they've heard nothing back from the committee.
"For a year, TikTok has actively engaged with CFIUS in good faith to address its national security concerns, even as we disagree with its assessment," TikTok explained in a statement to the tech publication. "In the nearly two months since the President gave his preliminary approval to our proposal to satisfy those concerns, we have offered detailed solutions to finalize that agreement - but have received no substantive feedback on our extensive data privacy and security framework." Then again, who can blame them? They've seemingly had their hands full with Covid-19 outbreaks, landscaping company press conferences, and of course, a lost election.
"Facing continual new requests and no clarity on whether our proposed solutions would be accepted, we requested the 30-day extension that is expressly permitted in the August 14 order," they added. In the face of these tight, fast-approaching deadlines, the app is taking matters into its own hands, bringing the matter to court. "Today, with the November 12 CFIUS deadline imminent and without an extension in hand, we have no choice but to file a petition in court to defend our rights and those of our more than 1,500 employees in the US. We remain committed to working with the Administration -- as we have all along -- to resolve the issues it has raised, but our legal challenge today is a protection to ensure these discussions can take place."
Ghosting always sucks, but it seems like it would especially sting when coming from the White House. Remember folks, ghosts are for Snapchat -- not TikTok.
For more internet nonsense, follow Carly @HuntressThompson_ on Instagram and TikTok and on Twitter @TennesAnyone.
