The Biden administration will not enforce the ban on social media giant and Chinese-owned TikTok that’s supposed to take effect Sunday, opting to let the Trump administration deal with it once the president-elect takes office the next day, ABC News reported Thursday.
TikTok faces a legislative deadline on Sunday to sever ties with its Chinese parent company ByteDance or cease U.S. operations. The ban takes aim at app stores and internet hosting services from providing service to the 170 million monthly American users of the platform. TikTok has reportedly said it will impose a blackout on its service to American users if the ban takes effect.
"Our position on this has been clear: TikTok should continue to operate under American ownership. Given the timing of when it goes into effect over a holiday weekend a day before inauguration, it will be up to the next administration to implement," a White House official told ABC News in a statement.
Under terms of the ban, the Justice Department could pursue fines of $5,000 per user. Even if Biden or Trump refuse to enforce it, the legislative ban would still go into effect, barring the Supreme Court intervening, and tech companies will still be liable for providing service to American users, according to the report.
TikTok has challenged the law on First Amendment grounds but the Supreme Court signaled Friday it’s likely to uphold the ban.
Senate Intelligence Committee Chairman Tom Cotton, R-Ark., blocked a bill Wednesday that would have given ByteDance an additional 270 days to sell or divest, citing national security concerns.
Donald Trump, who assumes the presidency Monday, is opposed to the ban and vowed during his campaign to “save” the app. He met with TikTok CEO Shou Zi Chew at his Mar-a-Lago estate in Palm Beach, Florida, last month, according to ABC News, and Chou plans to attend the inauguration on Monday.
Information from Reuters was used in this report.