The federal law banning TikTok has revealed a major schism among American tech companies: Some are willing to flout the law β and some, including Apple and Google, are not.
The app has repeatedly name checked the president-elect in pop-up messages and statements, as it navigates a ban in the United States unless it is sold to a non-Chinese owner.
The popular video app stopped working shortly before a federal law barring U.S. companies from hosting or distributing TikTok was set to take effect on Sunday.
TikTok is set to be blocked in the U.S. after the Supreme Court upheld a law that effectively bans the app. TikTok, a Chinese-owned social media platform, has drawn scrutiny from lawmakers for its national security risks and its ties to China. Sapna Maheshwari, a business reporter for The New York Times, examines the security concerns and the reactions to the news.
Shou Chew will join tech moguls like Mark Zuckerberg and Elon Musk at President-elect Donald J. Trumpβs inauguration as the fate of the app hangs in the balance.
The company is awaiting a decision over the constitutionality of a new law that aims to force a sale of the app to a non-Chinese owner under the threat of a ban.
The plaintiffs include a Texas rancher and a hip-hop artist who say banning the app violates their First Amendment rights. TikTok is paying their legal bills.