Washington: Prominent US lawmakers, including Indian-American Congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi, have urged tech giants Apple and Google to remove TikTok from their app stores ahead of a looming deadline that could lead to the app’s ban in the United States. ByteDance, TikTok’s China-based parent company, faces a January 19, 2025, deadline to divest its ownership of the platform or risk a nationwide ban under a bill signed into law by President Joe Biden in April 2023.
John Moolenaar, Chair of the House Select Committee on the CCP, and Raja Krishnamoorthi have sent formal letters to Apple CEO Tim Cook, Google CEO Sundar Pichai, and TikTok CEO Shou Chew, emphasizing the urgency of compliance. The lawmakers insist that ByteDance execute a qualified divestiture and that Apple and Google take steps to ensure the app is no longer available on their platforms after the deadline.
The push to ban TikTok is rooted in concerns over potential national security risks, with critics alleging the app could be exploited by the Chinese government for data collection or disinformation campaigns. The Protecting Americans from Foreign Adversary Controlled Applications Act forms the legal basis for this action, prohibiting the distribution or maintenance of apps linked to foreign adversaries.
If ByteDance fails to divest, TikTok could be removed from app stores, effectively limiting access for millions of users in the US. Lawmakers argue that both TikTok and the tech giants have had ample time to comply, and further delays will not be tolerated. This pivotal moment could redefine the platform’s future in the United States.
