U.S President Donald Trump decides on the fate of the popular social media app.
Hours after being sworn-in as the 47th US President, President Donald Trump signed an executive order halting the ban of TikTok for 75 days to facilitate the possible sale of its stocks to a US-based company.
What happens now?
Pres. Trump also hinted at a possible deal that would grant the US government a 50% stake in the social media app. Underlining the necessity of a balanced solution that protects national security without interfering with the users’ access to the platform.
However, legal experts have raised the legality of the executive order, citing that the Protecting Americans from Foreign Adversary Controlled Applications Act was passed with overwhelming support from both sides of the aisle and was unanimously upheld by the US Supreme Court.
What does this mean for the Philippines?
What led to the US banning TikTok were concerns relating to matters of national security such as data privacy and possible ties to the Chinese Communist Party (CCP). Given Philippine’s bumpy history with the Chinese government, banning the app might be a possible recourse for the government as concerns with Chinese influence continue to be uncovered.