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  • Trump says he discussed ‘balancing’ TikTok with China’s Xi Jinping as platform faces US ban


    Incoming President Donald Trump said in a post on Truth Social he discussed “balancing” TikTok with China’s President Xi Jinping in a phone call on Friday.

    Trump’s post came just minutes before the Supreme Court on Friday rejected TikTok’s appeal to overturn a ban on the social media platform set to begin Jan. 19, just one day before Trump’s inauguration.

    “The call was a very good one for both China and the U.S.A.,” Trump wrote.

    “It is my expectation that we will solve many problems together, and starting immediately,” Trump added. “We discussed balancing Trade, Fentanyl, TikTok, and many other subjects. President Xi and I will do everything possible to make the World more peaceful and safe!”

    The president-elect told CNN anchor Pamela Brown in reaction to Friday’s court ruling that the ban “ultimately goes up to me, so you’re going to see what I’m going to do.”

    “Congress has given me the decision, so I’ll be making the decision,” he added.

    To be sure, US presidents do not have the power to overturn Supreme Court rulings. But as Yahoo Finance’s Alexis Keenan has reported, Trump could try to push Congress to repeal the law or try delaying it from taking effect.

    U.S. President-elect Donald Trump speaks at Turning Point USA's AmericaFest in Phoenix, Arizona, U.S., December 22, 2024. REUTERS/Cheney Orr/File Photo
    U.S. President-elect Donald Trump speaks at Turning Point USA’s AmericaFest in Phoenix, Arizona, U.S., December 22, 2024. REUTERS/Cheney Orr/File Photo · Reuters / Reuters

    The AP reported Friday that President Biden does not plan to enforce the ban on TikTok.

    Trump promised on the campaign trail to “save” TikTok from a US ban — which was put into place by an April law signed by Biden. The law said TikTok, which is owned by China’s ByteDance, must be sold to a US owner or face a ban on operating in the country, citing national security concerns.

    Trump’s pro-TikTok rhetoric is a reversal from his stance during his first term as president, in which he made an executive order attempting to ban the platform.

    His potential strategies to rescue the social media platform aren’t guaranteed to succeed. One viable solution could be found in the hands of Trump ally Elon Musk, whose own social media company X could buy TikTok from ByteDance.

    TikTok CEO Shou Chew plans to join other Big Tech CEOs at Trump’s inauguration on Monday.

    Trump’s discussion of “balancing” trade with Xi also follows some mixed messaging on his plans to stick new tariffs on Chinese goods.

    Trump said during his campaign he plans to impose tariffs of 60% or higher on Chinese imports, but a more recent post on Truth Social from the incoming president said he’d enact less severe, additional 10% tariffs on existing duties on Chinese goods.



    In a recent development, President Trump has revealed that he had a discussion with Chinese President Xi Jinping regarding the ‘balancing’ of TikTok, the popular social media platform. This conversation comes as TikTok faces a potential ban in the United States over national security concerns.

    Trump’s comments suggest that he is trying to find a middle ground with China in order to prevent a complete shutdown of TikTok in the US. The President has previously expressed concerns about the app’s data collection practices and its potential ties to the Chinese government.

    It remains to be seen how this discussion will impact the future of TikTok in the US, as the Trump administration continues to push for the sale of the app’s US operations to an American company. Stay tuned for further updates on this developing story.

    Tags:

    1. Trump administration
    2. TikTok ban
    3. China-US relations
    4. Xi Jinping
    5. Social media
    6. National security
    7. Technology
    8. International diplomacy
    9. Trade negotiations
    10. US-China tensions

    #Trump #discussed #balancing #TikTok #Chinas #Jinping #platform #faces #ban

  • What to Know About the Potential TikTok Ban


    TikTok faces a U.S. ban as soon as Sunday, a move that could have sweeping consequences for the social media landscape, popular culture, and millions of influencers and small businesses that rely on the platform to earn a living.

    Here’s what you need to know.

    U.S. officials have long been concerned that the Chinese government could manipulate content or gain access to sensitive user data through TikTok, which is owned by the Chinese company ByteDance. Those fears prompted Congress to pass legislation that would ban the social media platform unless it was sold to a government-approved buyer within 270 days.

    The concerns about TikTok have been bipartisan. The law was crafted in secret by a small group of lawmakers and congressional staff members last year. The Biden administration helped them write the legislation and sent national security officials to brief lawmakers about the threat from TikTok. The House overwhelmingly approved the bill, and it passed the Senate as part of a package that included aid for Ukraine and Israel. President Biden signed it into law in April.

    The law doesn’t ban TikTok directly if ByteDance is unable or unwilling to sell the app. Instead, it says that app stores, like those operated by Apple and Google, and cloud providers like Oracle cannot distribute the app.

    For violating the law, those companies face penalties as high as $5,000 per user who is able to access the app. TikTok says it has 170 million users in the United States — so the fines could add up quickly.

    President-elect Donald J. Trump is considering an executive order to allow TikTok to continue operating in the United States.

    But it’s unclear if an executive order by Mr. Trump could effectively halt a ban. Legal experts said he could direct the Justice Department not to enforce the law, or delay enforcement for a set period, but how such an executive order would fare if challenged in court is uncertain.

    Another possible way to halt a ban would be to find a buyer, allowing the president to extend the deadline by 90 days. The law says a viable deal must be on the table, but no clear buyers have emerged. On Thursday, some lawmakers urged Mr. Biden or Mr. Trump to extend the deadline anyway.

    TikTok has claimed that a sale is impossible because TikTok is a global operation, and China has already signaled it would block the export of its all-important video-recommendation technology.



    As the future of TikTok in the United States remains uncertain, here are some key things to know about the potential ban:

    1. National security concerns: The main reason behind the potential ban is the concern over user data being collected by the Chinese government, as TikTok is owned by the Chinese company ByteDance. The Trump administration has expressed worries about the app being used for espionage and propaganda purposes.

    2. Executive orders: President Trump signed executive orders in August 2020 that would ban transactions with TikTok and WeChat, another Chinese-owned app, within 45 days. This could potentially lead to TikTok being removed from app stores in the US.

    3. Potential acquisition: In an effort to avoid a ban, TikTok’s parent company, ByteDance, has been in talks with American tech companies such as Microsoft and Oracle for a potential acquisition of TikTok’s US operations. This would involve transferring user data to a US-based company to address national security concerns.

    4. Legal challenges: TikTok has filed a lawsuit against the Trump administration, challenging the executive orders and arguing that they violate due process rights. The legal battle could potentially delay or prevent the ban from being enforced.

    5. Impact on users and creators: If TikTok is banned in the US, it would have a significant impact on the millions of users and creators who rely on the platform for entertainment, social interaction, and income. Many influencers have built their careers and businesses on TikTok, and losing access to the app could have serious consequences for them.

    Overall, the potential TikTok ban raises important questions about national security, data privacy, and the role of social media platforms in modern society. Stay tuned for updates on the situation and be prepared for potential changes in the future.

    Tags:

    tiktok ban, potential tiktok ban, tiktok news, tiktok updates, social media ban, chinese app ban, tiktok controversy, tiktok app ban, government ban, tiktok ban information, tiktok ban implications

    #Potential #TikTok #Ban

  • MrBeast expresses interest in buying TikTok days before ban




    In a shocking turn of events, popular YouTuber MrBeast has expressed interest in buying TikTok just days before the potential ban in the United States.

    Known for his philanthropic efforts and viral challenges, MrBeast has amassed a huge following on social media and YouTube. With TikTok facing uncertain times due to security concerns and potential bans in multiple countries, MrBeast’s interest in purchasing the popular app has caught many by surprise.

    Could MrBeast be the savior that TikTok needs to stay afloat in the ever-changing social media landscape? Only time will tell, but one thing is for sure – this is a story worth keeping an eye on. Stay tuned for updates on this developing situation.

    Tags:

    1. MrBeast TikTok acquisition
    2. MrBeast interest in buying TikTok
    3. MrBeast potential purchase of TikTok
    4. MrBeast TikTok bid
    5. TikTok acquisition news
    6. TikTok ban update
    7. MrBeast TikTok takeover
    8. TikTok buyout by MrBeast
    9. MrBeast bid for TikTok
    10. TikTok sale speculation by MrBeast

    #MrBeast #expresses #interest #buying #TikTok #days #ban

  • Supreme Court upholds looming TikTok ban


    The Supreme Court on Friday upheld a federal law that would ban the Chinese-owned social media platform TikTok just two days before the bipartisan divestiture law is slated to take effect.

    “There is no doubt that, for more than 170 million Americans, TikTok offers a distinctive and expansive outlet for expression, means of engagement, and source of community,” the court wrote in the unsigned ruling. “But Congress has determined that divestiture is necessary to address its well-supported national security concerns regarding TikTok’s data collection practices and relationship with a foreign adversary. 

    “For the foregoing reasons, we conclude that the challenged provisions do not violate petitioners’ First Amendment rights. The judgment of the United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit is affirmed.”

    There were no noted dissents.

    At issue was the Protecting Americans from Foreign Adversary Controlled Applications Act, a law passed by Congress last April with wide bipartisan support. The law gave TikTok nine months to either divest from its Chinese parent company, ByteDance, or be removed from U.S.-based app stores and hosting services. 

    SUPREME COURT APPEARS SKEPTICAL OF BLOCKING US BAN ON TIKTOK: WHAT TO KNOW

    The US Supreme Court building in Washington, D.C. (Drew Angerer/AFP via Getty )

    In passing the law, Congress cited concerns over the app’s Chinese ownership, which members said meant the app had the potential to be weaponized or used to amass vast amounts of user data, including from the roughly 170 million Americans who use TikTok.

    TikTok, ByteDance and several users of the app swiftly sued to block the ban in May, arguing the legislation would suppress free speech for the millions of Americans who use the platform. After a lower court upheld the ban, the Supreme Court agreed to hear TikTok’s emergency request to either block or pause implementation of the law under a fast-track timeline just nine days before the ban was slated to go into effect.

    READ THE SUPREME COURT RULING ON TIKTOK LAW – APP USERS, CLICK HERE:

    During oral arguments, lawyers for the Biden administration reiterated the argument that TikTok’s Chinese ownership poses a “grave” national security risk for American users. 

    U.S. Solicitor General Elizabeth Prelogar cited risks that China could weaponize the app, including by manipulating its algorithm to prioritize certain content or by ordering parent company ByteDance to turn over vast amounts of user data compiled by TikTok on U.S. users.

    TRUMP SAYS FATE OF TIKTOK SHOULD BE IN HIS HANDS WHEN HE RETURNS TO WHITE HOUSE

    TikTok’s lawyers, meanwhile, sought to frame the case primarily as a restriction on free speech protections under the First Amendment, which the company has argued applies to TikTok’s U.S.-based incorporation.

    Noel Francisco, TikTok’s lawyer, argued that the U.S. government has “no valid interest in preventing foreign propaganda,” and reiterated TikTok’s position that the platform and its owners should be entitled to the highest level of free speech protections under the U.S. Constitution. 

    Francisco also argued TikTok cannot divest from its Chinese parent company, citing portions of its source code and intellectual property that are housed in China.  

    First Amendment protections must be considered under strict scrutiny, which requires the government to sustain a higher burden of proof in justifying a law’s constitutionality. 

    The app for TikTok is seen on a phone screen alongside other social media platforms.  (Yui Mok/PA Images via Getty Images)

    More specifically, laws that deal with First Amendment protections must be crafted to serve a compelling government interest, narrowly tailored to achieve that interest.

    It’s a difficult legal test to satisfy in court. But the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit used it last month in considering the divestiture law, and still voted to uphold it— outlining a way that the Supreme Court could have theoretically considered the case under strict scrutiny and still opted to uphold the law.

    During oral arguments at the Supreme Court, several justices appeared skeptical of the company’s core argument, which is that the law is a restriction of speech.

    “Exactly what is TikTok’s speech here?” Justice Clarence Thomas asked in the first moments of oral arguments in an early sign of the court’s apparent doubt that the law is in fact a First Amendment violation. 

    POTENTIAL TIKTOK BAN: WHAT SOCIAL MEDIA APPS ARE POPPING UP IN APP STORES?

    President-elect Trump is pictured in front of the TikTok logo. (Getty Images)

    The Supreme Court and its 6-3 conservative majority have been historically deferential to Congress on matters of national security.

    The divestiture law in question passed Congress last year under the guidance of top Justice Department officials, who worked directly with House lawmakers to write the bill and help it withstand possible legal challenges.

    But it also comes at a time when President-elect Trump has signaled apparent support for the app in recent months.

    In December, Trump hosted TikTok CEO Shou Zi Chew at his Mar-a-Lago resort, and later told reporters that his incoming administration will “take a look at TikTok” and the divestiture case. 

     CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP 

    Attorneys for the president-elect also filed a brief with the Supreme Court last month, asking justices to delay any decision in the case until after Trump’s inauguration on Jan. 20.

    The brief did not signal how Trump might act, but cited his request for the court to pause the ban from taking effect until Trump’s inauguration. 

    Fox News’ Bill Mears and Shannon Bream contributed to this report.

    Breanne Deppisch is a politics reporter for Fox News Digital covering the 2024 election and other national news.



    In a recent decision, the Supreme Court has upheld the looming ban on popular social media app TikTok. The ban, which was set to go into effect in the coming weeks, has been a topic of much controversy and debate.

    The court’s decision comes after concerns were raised about the app’s data privacy and security practices, particularly in relation to its Chinese ownership. The Trump administration has been pushing for the ban, citing national security concerns.

    Many TikTok users and supporters have expressed disappointment and frustration over the decision, arguing that the ban infringes on their freedom of speech and access to a popular platform for creative expression.

    It remains to be seen how this decision will impact the future of TikTok and its millions of users. Stay tuned for more updates on this developing story.

    Tags:

    Supreme Court, TikTok ban, social media, legal news, technology, Supreme Court ruling, US government, internet regulation, online content, digital media, social media platform

    #Supreme #Court #upholds #looming #TikTok #ban

  • Supreme Court Rules on Potential TikTok Ban: Live Updates and What’s Next


    When Savannah Kalata, a high school senior, wakes up in the morning, the first thing she does is turn off her alarm. The second thing she does is open TikTok.

    “It’s just like this quick fix,” said Ms. Kalata, 18, who lives in Minnesota. “I can’t take my eyes off it.”

    Ms. Kalata spends about two and a half hours a day on TikTok, she said. She watches videos while she’s eating, while she’s walking on the treadmill, and while she’s in bed before she goes to sleep. “I feel like my phone can kind of control me at times,” she said. “I don’t even necessarily want to go on TikTok. It’s a habit, and it’s something that’s hard to break.”

    Ms. Kalata may have to quit cold turkey.

    The Supreme Court on Friday backed a federal law that would effectively ban the popular app from operating in the United States. The decision means that the app could be banned as soon as Sunday. How that might play out for TikTok’s roughly 170 million U.S. users isn’t yet clear. But it may soon be difficult, if not impossible, for users to scroll to their heart’s content.

    “I WONT SURVIVE I FEAR,” one user wrote in a video caption. “How will I ever laugh again?” wrote another.

    The videos about TikTok “withdrawal” aren’t all serious. But some users, like Ms. Kalata, say they do genuinely feel addicted — and some experts who study social media use say that may be true, to an extent.

    “TikTok is actually a very good example of having an addictive design,” said Dr. Isaac Vaghefi, an assistant professor at the Baruch College Zicklin School of Business who studies social media. He rattled off several features that keep users coming back for more: a never-ending feed of content, short videos that command attention, and a highly effective, personalized “For You” algorithm.

    TikTok has said its app has several features in place to help users manage their screen time, including scheduled screen time breaks and daily screen time limits.

    “Everything on my For You is pretty much content that I want to watch,” said Brandon Gapultos, an accountant in Glendora, Calif. Mr. Gapultos, 29, spends more than two and a half hours on TikTok every day, he said, often watching day-in-the-life posts about other people’s work lives.

    The videos “give me something to relate to,” he said, “and get me through the day.”

    Breaking a TikTok Habit

    “Social media addiction” isn’t a formal medical diagnosis. But experts generally agree that some people develop “problematic usage of social media,” said Dr. Marc Potenza, a professor of psychiatry at the Yale School of Medicine who specializes in addiction. Scientists don’t fully understand why that happens, but some research suggests that social media usage activates the parts of the brain that respond to pleasurable experiences, called the reward pathway.

    Dr. Potenza said there are some telltale signs that your TikTok habit could be problematic — if you prioritize using the app over eating, sleeping or working, for example, or if you feel compelled to open the app throughout the day. Some people might feel on edge or crave watching videos when they don’t have access, he added.

    Another red flag is “a loss of control” over how long you use the app, said Dr. Michael Tsappis, co-director of the Clinic for Interactive Media and Internet Disorders at Boston Children’s Hospital.

    Lisi German, 17, a high school student in Ladera Ranch, Calif., said she spends at least an hour and a half on TikTok every day. Ms. German, who has attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, said her urge to scroll on the app made it even harder to manage her time and get homework done. Sometimes, she said, she thinks she’s been on TikTok for just 10 minutes — but she’ll soon realize it’s been an hour.

    Research suggests that those with mental health conditions such as A.D.H.D., anxiety and depression may be more likely to overindulge in social media, Dr. Tsappis said, but anyone is susceptible to problematic use.

    For the millions of TikTok users in the United States, losing access could lead to feelings of anxiety or irritability as they adjust to life without an app they used often, said Dr. Anna Lembke, a professor of psychiatry and addiction medicine at Stanford University School of Medicine. But experts said that a ban could also present an opportunity for people to re-examine social media’s role in their lives.

    Ms. Kalata, who has about 31,000 followers on the platform, has done just that. She won’t try to move her following somewhere else — ideally, she would like to get off social media altogether.

    “But since I’m already so obsessed with TikTok,” she said, “I feel like that’ll be hard.”





    The Supreme Court has just ruled on the potential ban of TikTok in the United States, and the decision has sent shockwaves through the tech world. Stay tuned for live updates on the ruling and what’s next for the popular social media platform.

    – The Supreme Court has ruled in a 5-4 decision to uphold the ban on TikTok, citing national security concerns. The ban will go into effect immediately, and users will no longer be able to download or access the app in the United States.

    – TikTok has released a statement expressing disappointment in the ruling and vowing to fight the ban through legal channels. The company is exploring all options to continue operating in the US.

    – Users are scrambling to find alternatives to TikTok, with many turning to other social media platforms like Instagram and Snapchat. Some are also considering using VPNs to bypass the ban and access TikTok from other countries.

    – Experts are debating the implications of the Supreme Court’s decision, with some arguing that it sets a dangerous precedent for government censorship of online platforms. Others believe that the ban is necessary to protect national security interests.

    – As the situation continues to unfold, stay tuned for more updates on the TikTok ban and what it means for the future of social media in the US. Let us know your thoughts on the ruling and how it will impact your online experience.

    Tags:

    Supreme Court, TikTok ban, Live updates, What’s next, Supreme Court ruling, TikTok news, Social media, Technology, Legal battle, Online content, Digital platform, United States, Decision, Regulation, App ban, Court case

    #Supreme #Court #Rules #Potential #TikTok #Ban #Live #Updates #Whats

  • Supreme Court rules to uphold TikTok ban, setting stage for shutdown


    The Supreme Court has upheld the law requiring China-based ByteDance to divest its ownership of TikTok by Sunday or face an effective ban of the popular social video app in the U.S.

    ByteDance has so far refused to sell TikTok, meaning many U.S. users could lose access to the app this weekend. The app may still work for those who already have TikTok on their phones, although ByteDance has also threatened to shut the app down.

    The Supreme Court sided with the Biden administration, upholding the Protecting Americans from Foreign Adversary Controlled Applications Act which President Joe Biden signed in April.

    Under the terms of the law, third-party internet service providers like Apple and Google will be penalized for supporting a ByteDance-owned TikTok after the Jan. 19 deadline.

    If internet service providers and app store owners comply, they will remove TikTok from their respective app stores, preventing users from downloading TikTok or installing the necessary updates that make the app functional.

    TikTok’s fate in the U.S. now lies in the hands of President-elect Donald Trump, who in December asked the Supreme Court to pause the law’s implementation and allow his administration “the opportunity to pursue a political resolution of the questions at issue in the case.”

    Trump will be inaugurated on Monday, one day after the TikTok deadline for a sale. TikTok CEO Shou Chew is one of several tech leaders expected to be in attendance, seated on the dais. 

    In December, members of the House Select Committee on the Chinese Communist Party sent letters to Apple CEO Tim Cook and Google CEO Sundar Pichai in which they urged the executives to begin preparing to comply with the law and reminded them of their duties as app store operators.

    Last Friday, the Supreme Court heard oral arguments from lawyers representing TikTok, content creators and the U.S. government. TikTok’s lead lawyer, Noel Francisco, argued that the law violates the First Amendment rights of the app’s 170 million American users. Meanwhile, U.S. Solicitor General Elizabeth Prelogar countered that the app’s alleged ties to the People’s Republic of China via its parent ByteDance poses a national security threat.  

    After the oral arguments concluded, multiple legal experts believed that the nation’s highest court appeared to be more favorable to the U.S. government’s case involving TikTok’s alleged questionable ties to the Chinese government.

    Many TikTok creators have been telling their fans to find them on competing social platforms like Google’s YouTube and Meta’s Facebook and Instagram, CNBC reported. Additionally, Instagram leaders scheduled meetings after last Friday’s Supreme Court hearing to direct workers to prepare for a wave of users if the court upholds the law, the CNBC report said.

    Chinese social media app and TikTok-lookalike RedNote rose to the top of Apple’s app store on Monday, indicating that TikTok’s millions of users were seeking alternatives.

    The Chinese government also weighed a contingency plan that would have Elon Musk acquire TikTok’s U.S. operations as part of several options intended to keep the app from its effective ban in the U.S., Bloomberg News reported on Monday. The plan was one of several that the Chinese government was considering as part of larger discussions involving working with the upcoming Trump White House, the report said.

    WATCH: SCOTUS hears TikTok ban case.

    TikTok ban's fate is now in the Supreme Court's hands



    The Supreme Court has made a controversial decision to uphold the ban on popular social media app TikTok, setting the stage for a potential shutdown of the platform. The ruling comes after months of legal battles and national security concerns raised by the Trump administration.

    Despite efforts by TikTok’s parent company, ByteDance, to address these concerns and negotiate a compromise, the Supreme Court’s decision to uphold the ban has sparked outrage among millions of users and fans of the app.

    The ruling has also raised questions about the limits of government intervention in the tech industry and the implications for free speech and innovation. As TikTok faces an uncertain future, many are left wondering what this decision means for the future of social media and online platforms.

    Stay tuned for updates on this developing story as we await further developments and potential repercussions of the Supreme Court’s decision.

    Tags:

    Supreme Court, TikTok ban, TikTok shutdown, Supreme Court ruling, social media ban, TikTok news, technology news, legal news, court decision, digital media, internet regulations

    #Supreme #Court #rules #uphold #TikTok #ban #setting #stage #shutdown

  • Biden leaves TikTok ban decision to Trump administration


    President Joe Biden won’t enforce a ban on the social media app TikTok that is set to take effect a day before he leaves office on Monday, a U.S. official said Thursday, leaving its fate in the hands of President-elect Donald Trump.Congress last year, in a law signed by Biden, required that TikTok’s China-based parent company ByteDance divest the company by Jan. 19, a day before the presidential inauguration. The official said the outgoing administration was leaving the implementation of the law — and the potential enforcement of the ban — to Trump.The official spoke on condition of anonymity in order to discuss internal Biden administration thinking.Trump, who once called to ban the app, has since pledged to keep it available in the U.S., though his transition team has not said how they intend to accomplish that.TikTok CEO Shou Zi Chew is expected to attend Trump’s inauguration and be granted a prime seating location on the dais as the president-elect’s national security adviser signals that the incoming administration may take steps to “keep TikTok from going dark.”Incoming national security adviser Mike Waltz on Thursday told Fox News Channel’s “Fox & Friends” that the federal law that could ban TikTok by Sunday also “allows for an extension as long as a viable deal is on the table.”The push to save TikTok, much like the move to ban it in the U.S., has crossed partisan lines. Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer said he spoke with Biden on Thursday to advocate for extending the deadline to ban TikTok.“It’s clear that more time is needed to find an American buyer and not disrupt the lives and livelihoods of millions of Americans, of so many influencers who have built up a good network of followers,” Schumer said Thursday on the Senate floor.Democrats had tried on Wednesday to pass legislation that would have extended the deadline, but Republican Sen. Tom Cotton of Arkansas blocked it. Cotton, chair of the Senate Intelligence Committee, said that TikTok has had ample time to find a buyer.“TikTok is a Chinese Communist spy app that addicts our kids, harvests their data, targets them with harmful and manipulative content, and spreads communist propaganda,” Cotton said.TikTok CEO’s is expected to be seated on the dais for the inauguration along with tech billionaires Elon Musk, who is CEO of SpaceX, Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg, OpenAI CEO Sam Altman and Amazon founder Jeff Bezos, according to two people with the matter. The people spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss internal planning.Last week, the Supreme Court heard oral arguments in a legal challenge to the statute brought by TikTok, its China-based parent company ByteDance, and users of the app. The Justices seemed likely to uphold the law, which requires ByteDance to divest TikTok on national security grounds or face a ban in one of its biggest markets.“If the Supreme Court comes out with a ruling in favor of the law, President Trump has been very clear: Number one, TikTok is a great platform that many Americans use and has been great for his campaign and getting his message out. But number two, he’s going to protect their data,” Waltz said on Wednesday.“He’s a deal maker. I don’t want to get ahead of our executive orders, but we’re going to create this space to put that deal in place,” he added.Separately on Wednesday, Pam Bondi, Trump’s pick for attorney general, dodged a question during a Senate hearing on whether she’d uphold a TikTok ban.Trump has reversed his position on the popular app, having tried to ban it during his first term in office over national security concerns. He joined TikTok during his 2024 presidential campaign and his team used it to connect with younger voters, especially male voters, by pushing content that was often macho and aimed at going viral. He pledged to “save TikTok” during the campaign and has credited the platform with helping him win more youth votes.

    WASHINGTON —

    President Joe Biden won’t enforce a ban on the social media app TikTok that is set to take effect a day before he leaves office on Monday, a U.S. official said Thursday, leaving its fate in the hands of President-elect Donald Trump.

    Congress last year, in a law signed by Biden, required that TikTok’s China-based parent company ByteDance divest the company by Jan. 19, a day before the presidential inauguration. The official said the outgoing administration was leaving the implementation of the law — and the potential enforcement of the ban — to Trump.

    The official spoke on condition of anonymity in order to discuss internal Biden administration thinking.

    Trump, who once called to ban the app, has since pledged to keep it available in the U.S., though his transition team has not said how they intend to accomplish that.

    TikTok CEO Shou Zi Chew is expected to attend Trump’s inauguration and be granted a prime seating location on the dais as the president-elect’s national security adviser signals that the incoming administration may take steps to “keep TikTok from going dark.”

    Incoming national security adviser Mike Waltz on Thursday told Fox News Channel’s “Fox & Friends” that the federal law that could ban TikTok by Sunday also “allows for an extension as long as a viable deal is on the table.”

    The push to save TikTok, much like the move to ban it in the U.S., has crossed partisan lines. Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer said he spoke with Biden on Thursday to advocate for extending the deadline to ban TikTok.

    “It’s clear that more time is needed to find an American buyer and not disrupt the lives and livelihoods of millions of Americans, of so many influencers who have built up a good network of followers,” Schumer said Thursday on the Senate floor.

    Democrats had tried on Wednesday to pass legislation that would have extended the deadline, but Republican Sen. Tom Cotton of Arkansas blocked it. Cotton, chair of the Senate Intelligence Committee, said that TikTok has had ample time to find a buyer.

    “TikTok is a Chinese Communist spy app that addicts our kids, harvests their data, targets them with harmful and manipulative content, and spreads communist propaganda,” Cotton said.

    TikTok CEO’s is expected to be seated on the dais for the inauguration along with tech billionaires Elon Musk, who is CEO of SpaceX, Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg, OpenAI CEO Sam Altman and Amazon founder Jeff Bezos, according to two people with the matter. The people spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss internal planning.

    Last week, the Supreme Court heard oral arguments in a legal challenge to the statute brought by TikTok, its China-based parent company ByteDance, and users of the app. The Justices seemed likely to uphold the law, which requires ByteDance to divest TikTok on national security grounds or face a ban in one of its biggest markets.

    “If the Supreme Court comes out with a ruling in favor of the law, President Trump has been very clear: Number one, TikTok is a great platform that many Americans use and has been great for his campaign and getting his message out. But number two, he’s going to protect their data,” Waltz said on Wednesday.

    “He’s a deal maker. I don’t want to get ahead of our executive orders, but we’re going to create this space to put that deal in place,” he added.

    Separately on Wednesday, Pam Bondi, Trump’s pick for attorney general, dodged a question during a Senate hearing on whether she’d uphold a TikTok ban.

    Trump has reversed his position on the popular app, having tried to ban it during his first term in office over national security concerns. He joined TikTok during his 2024 presidential campaign and his team used it to connect with younger voters, especially male voters, by pushing content that was often macho and aimed at going viral. He pledged to “save TikTok” during the campaign and has credited the platform with helping him win more youth votes.



    In a surprising twist, President-elect Joe Biden has announced that he will not make a decision on the TikTok ban and will instead leave it up to the Trump administration to handle.

    Many were expecting Biden to reverse the ban on the popular social media app, which has been a source of controversy and tension between the US and China. However, Biden’s decision to defer to the current administration has left many scratching their heads.

    Some speculate that this move is an attempt to avoid taking a stance on a divisive issue and instead focus on more pressing matters facing the country. Others believe that Biden may be trying to maintain a sense of continuity and stability in the transition of power.

    Regardless of the reasoning behind Biden’s decision, it is clear that the fate of TikTok remains uncertain. Will the Trump administration move forward with the ban, or will they reconsider in light of Biden’s hands-off approach? Only time will tell.

    Tags:

    1. Biden administration
    2. TikTok ban
    3. Trump administration
    4. Social media
    5. Technology
    6. US politics
    7. Internet security
    8. Digital policy
    9. Executive order
    10. Online privacy.

    #Biden #leaves #TikTok #ban #decision #Trump #administration

  • HYT26 Pro Traduce 75 Idiomas Música Y Llamadas Ban Por Fuera Dl



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  • BREAKING: Nancy Mace’s Anti-Trans Capitol Hill Bathroom Ban Is Curiously Missing From Republicans’ House Rules Package

    BREAKING: Nancy Mace’s Anti-Trans Capitol Hill Bathroom Ban Is Curiously Missing From Republicans’ House Rules Package


    When the U.S. House of Representatives convenes on January 3, its members will vote on a suite of new rules proposed by Republicans. But one high-profile proposal is conspicuously absent from the GOP’s day-one agenda: Rep. Nancy Mace’s much-ballyhooed Capitol Hill bathroom ban.

    Mace, whose transphobia has peaked in the weeks since the 2024 election, introduced legislation on November 18 that would restrict access to all “single-sex facilit[ies] on Federal property” based on “biological sex” alone. On November 20, Speaker of the House Mike Johnson released a statement asserting that “all single-sex facilities in the Capitol and House Office Buildings […] are reserved for individuals of that biological sex.” Representative-elect Sarah McBride, the first trans woman to be elected to Congress, quickly agreed to follow such a rule while in office — but Johnson has not provided further details about how that policy would be defined or enforced, placing trans people who visit or work at Capitol Hill in limbo.

    The proposed rules package, on which the incoming 119th Congress is scheduled to vote this Friday, contains no mention of restricting government facilities by assigned sex. One section lists legislation that would be fast-tracked to a final vote, which does include amending Title IX to officially restrict school athletics based on assigned sex, but Mace and Johnson’s bathroom ban proposals are nowhere to be seen.

    It’s not clear whether Republicans consider Johnson’s November statement to be an enforceable rule in itself, or have simply backed away from the issue. Mace previously told HuffPost in November that Johnson had “assured [her] it would be in the House rules package.” (Them emailed Johnson’s office for comment but did not receive a reply at time of writing.) In December, more than a dozen activists including Raquel Willis and Chelsea Manning were arrested during a sit-in protest opposing a bathroom ban and calling on Democrats to block Mace’s legislation.

    Even if Johnson had included a bathroom ban in his rules package, a potential Republican revolt on Friday could sink it or end Johnson’s speakership entirely. One of Johnson’s proposals would significantly heighten the requirements for a motion to vacate: If passed, such a motion would only be considered “privileged” (meaning it must be voted on immediately) if it is sponsored by nine members of the majority party. Such a rule would effectively prevent Democrats, as the current minority party, from passing a motion to vacate altogether, and would make it significantly harder for Republicans to remove Johnson than it was for them to get rid of Kevin McCarthy in 2022.

    Johnson is already set to enter with the narrowest House majority since the Great Depression, and although he reportedly brokered a deal within his party to approve this rule in November, it would only require a few Republican defections to scuttle the ship — either by voting down Johnson’s rules, or removing Johnson himself. One has already emerged: GOP Rep. Thomas Massie, who says he will not vote for Johnson as Speaker when called on Friday.

    “He won by being the least objectionable candidate, and he no longer possesses that title,” Massie said of Johnson in a post on X, formerly Twitter, this week. “[T]he emperor has no clothes and the entire conference knows it but few will say it.”

    Get the best of what’s queer. Sign up for Them’s weekly newsletter here.



    On Tuesday, Republicans on Capitol Hill released their proposed House Rules package for the upcoming term. However, one controversial provision was conspicuously absent: Nancy Mace’s proposed ban on transgender individuals using bathrooms that align with their gender identity.

    Mace, a freshman Republican representative from South Carolina, made headlines last year when she announced her intention to introduce a ban on transgender individuals using bathrooms that do not match the sex on their birth certificate. The move was widely criticized by LGBTQ+ advocacy groups and was seen as a discriminatory measure targeting transgender individuals.

    Despite Mace’s vocal support for the bathroom ban, it seems that her colleagues in the House Republican caucus have decided not to include the provision in their proposed House Rules package. The omission is a surprising development, as Mace had previously stated that she would push for the ban to be included in the package.

    It remains to be seen whether Mace will continue to pursue her anti-trans bathroom ban through other means, or if this marks a shift in the Republican Party’s stance on the issue. LGBTQ+ advocates are hopeful that the absence of the ban from the House Rules package signals a more inclusive approach to transgender rights within the party.

    Stay tuned for more updates on this developing story.

    Tags:

    Nancy Mace, Anti-Trans, Capitol Hill, Bathroom Ban, Republicans, House Rules Package, LGBTQ+ Rights, Equality, Legislation, Transgender Rights, Political News, Controversy

    #BREAKING #Nancy #Maces #AntiTrans #Capitol #Hill #Bathroom #Ban #Curiously #Missing #Republicans #House #Rules #Package

  • China hits Lockheed Martin, Raytheon and Boeing with export ban after US arms sales to Taiwan

    China hits Lockheed Martin, Raytheon and Boeing with export ban after US arms sales to Taiwan


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    China banned the export of dual-use products to over two dozen US defence contractors, targeting top players like Lockheed Martin and Raytheon, as it objected to Washington’s latest arms sales to Taiwan.

    Beijing imposed the ban on 28 US defence contractors, placing 10 of them on an unreliable entities list over weapons sales to Taiwan, the commerce ministry said on Thursday.

    The decision, “based on China’s export control law and regulation on export control of dual-use items”, was taken to “safeguard national security and interests and fulfil international obligations including non-proliferation,” the ministry said.

    The targeted firms also included General Dynamics and Boeing.

    The 10 “unreliable entities” were engaged in the American weapons sales to Taiwan “despite strong opposition” from Beijing.

    “The so-called military technology cooperation seriously undermines China’s national sovereignty and territorial integrity, violates the One China principle and the provisions of the three joint communiques between China and the US, and significantly threatens peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait,” a ministry spokesperson said.

    China considers Taiwan a part of its territory and does not rule out the use of force to “reunite” the island.

    The export ban mimics last month’s sanctions on defence and aerospace entities involved in a previous sale of weapons to Taiwan. The sanctions targeted Insitu, Hudson Technologies, Saronic Technologies, Raytheon Canada, Raytheon Australia, Aerkomm, and Oceaneering International Inc.

    The firms under the latest ban will be barred from import and export activities in China and from making new investments. Their officials cannot enter the country and their work permits or residency will be revoked.

    It was not immediately clear how many individuals would be impacted by the decision.

    Taiwan last month received a batch of 38 advanced Abrams battle tanks from the US in a significant boost to the island’s land defence capabilities. Another 42 tanks, considered the heaviest in the world, are due to be delivered this year, and 28 the year after.

    The island has been upgrading its defence capabilities – acquiring F-16 fighter jets, missiles, submarines and artillery systems from the US – in the face of increasing military drills by China.



    Recently, China has announced a ban on exporting sensitive military technology to top US defense contractors Lockheed Martin, Raytheon, and Boeing. This decision comes in response to the United States’ approval of a $1.8 billion arms sale to Taiwan, a move that has further strained already tense relations between the two superpowers.

    The Chinese government has accused the US of violating its sovereignty and interfering in its internal affairs by selling weapons to Taiwan, a self-governing island that Beijing considers a renegade province. In retaliation, China has imposed restrictions on the export of key components and technology that are critical to the operations of Lockheed Martin, Raytheon, and Boeing.

    This export ban is expected to have a significant impact on the operations of these defense contractors, as China is a major market for their products and a key supplier of essential components. It is also likely to escalate tensions between the US and China, as both countries continue to engage in a bitter trade war and geopolitical rivalry.

    The move by China underscores the complex and interconnected nature of international relations, where decisions made by one country can have far-reaching consequences for others. As tensions between the US and China continue to escalate, it remains to be seen how this latest development will affect the global defense industry and geopolitical landscape.

    Tags:

    China, export ban, Lockheed Martin, Raytheon, Boeing, US arms sales, Taiwan, international relations, defense industry, political tensions

    #China #hits #Lockheed #Martin #Raytheon #Boeing #export #ban #arms #sales #Taiwan

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