Two prominent US lawmakers, including Indian-American Raja Krishnamoorthi, have taken a firm stance on the issue of TikTok’s presence in the US app stores. In a move that underscores mounting national security concerns, they have called on tech giants Apple and Google to prepare for the removal of TikTok from their app stores by January 19.
In letters addressed to Apple CEO Tim Cook and Google CEO Sundar Pichai, House Select Committee on the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) Chair John Moolenaar and Ranking Member Raja Krishnamoorthi emphasized the need for immediate action. They urged both companies to “prepare to remove TikTok” from their app distribution platforms ahead of the impending deadline.
Simultaneously, the lawmakers also wrote to TikTok CEO Shou Chew, urging him to “immediately execute a qualified divestiture” of the company. The pressure comes in light of the Protecting Americans from Foreign Adversary Controlled Applications Act and subsequent legislation signed by President Joe Biden.
In April, President Biden signed a bill that requires ByteDance, the China-based parent company of TikTok, to divest its ownership by January 19, 2025. Failure to do so would trigger a nationwide ban on the popular video-sharing app. The legislation, aimed at protecting US national security, seeks to prevent potential foreign influence and data privacy issues.
The recent action by lawmakers follows the DC Circuit Court’s 3-0 opinion, which upheld the Protecting Americans from Foreign Adversary Controlled Applications Act. This ruling further strengthens the position of the US government as it urges compliance from ByteDance and pressures major tech companies to enforce the policy.
The letters to Cook and Pichai highlighted that Congress has provided sufficient time—233 days, specifically—for TikTok to make the necessary changes to comply with US regulations. The lawmakers emphasized, “As you know, without a qualified divestiture, the Act makes it unlawful to provide services to distribute, maintain, or update such foreign adversary-controlled application (including any source code of such application) through an online mobile application store.”
The lawmakers made it clear that under US law, companies like Apple and Google are obligated to comply with these regulations. The letter stated, “(Apple and Google) must take the necessary steps to ensure it can fully comply with this requirement by January 19, 2025.” This directive signals that tech giants must align their policies with US legislative measures to prevent potential repercussions.
The fate of TikTok in the US hangs in the balance as the January 19 deadline approaches. With significant pressure mounting from US lawmakers and legal mandates reinforcing the need for divestiture, ByteDance faces a crucial decision. Whether it complies or not will determine TikTok’s future presence in the American digital landscape.
In conclusion,
the pressure on TikTok to comply with US national security laws is intensifying as the January 19, 2025 deadline approaches. US lawmakers, including Raja Krishnamoorthi, have called on tech giants Apple and Google to prepare for the removal of TikTok from their app stores if the app's Chinese ownership is not addressed. With President Biden’s legislation requiring ByteDance to divest its stake in TikTok, the fate of the popular app in the US now hinges on its ability to comply with these regulations. The outcome of this legal and political standoff will significantly impact TikTok’s future in the US, with both TikTok's leadership and major tech companies under increasing scrutiny to adhere to the law.