In a significant move reflecting growing concerns over national security, two prominent U.S. lawmakers Representative Raja Krishnamoorthi, an Indian-American, and House Select Committee on the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) Chair John Moolenaar have urged tech giants Apple and Google to prepare for the removal of TikTok from their app stores. Their request comes as the video-sharing platform faces a critical January 19, 2025, deadline set by U.S. law.
This action stems from legislation signed into law by President Joe Biden in April, known as the Protecting Americans from Foreign Adversary Controlled Applications Act.
The law mandates ByteDance, the China-based parent company of TikTok, to divest from its U.S. operations by this date. Failure to comply would result in a nationwide ban on TikTok, making its continued availability on app stores a legal violation.
On Friday, Representatives Moolenaar and Krishnamoorthi sent letters to Apple CEO Tim Cook, Google CEO Sundar Pichai, and TikTok CEO Shou Zi Chew. In their correspondence, the lawmakers expressed the urgency of the situation, emphasizing the ample time already given to ByteDance to address national security concerns and comply with the law.
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To Apple and Google, the legislators underscored their legal obligations, writing, “As you know, without a qualified divestiture, the Act makes it unlawful to provide services to distribute, maintain, or update such foreign adversary-controlled applications by means of a marketplace through which U.S. users may access them.”
They urged both tech companies to take immediate steps to ensure their platforms comply with these requirements by the deadline.
The lawmakers’ letter to TikTok’s CEO reiterated the necessity for a “qualified divestiture” to resolve national security concerns. They noted that Congress had already afforded ByteDance a significant period—233 days as of the letter’s writing—to act. This divestiture, they argue, is critical to safeguarding U.S. interests.
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The letters follow a recent decision by the D.C. Circuit Court, which unanimously upheld the legal framework of the Protecting Americans from Foreign Adversary Controlled Applications Act. This ruling further solidifies the government’s authority to act against applications deemed threats due to foreign influence.
TikTok has long been a focal point of U.S. scrutiny, with bipartisan concerns about its data practices and potential ties to the Chinese government.
Critics fear the platform’s extensive user data could be exploited by Beijing, a claim that TikTok has consistently denied. Despite these assurances, calls for stricter oversight or outright bans have intensified, especially as geopolitical tensions between the U.S. and China persist.
The lawmakers’ push for divestiture is seen as a compromise—a way to mitigate the risks without completely dismantling the platform’s presence in the U.S.
However, if ByteDance fails to comply, the repercussions could be severe. Beyond a ban, the enforcement of this law would signal a broader U.S. strategy to counter perceived threats from foreign-controlled technologies.
As the January 19 deadline approaches, the ball is in TikTok’s court to demonstrate its commitment to complying with U.S. law. Apple and Google, too, face the challenge of aligning their platforms with this legal mandate, potentially removing one of the world’s most popular apps from millions of devices.
The unfolding events reflect a broader conversation about data security, digital sovereignty, and the balance between innovation and national interests. For millions of TikTok users, creators, and businesses, the coming weeks will be critical in determining the app’s future in the United States.