Yazılar

Trump Extends Deadline for US TikTok Sale to September

/in /tarafından

U.S. President Donald Trump on Thursday extended the deadline to September 17 for ByteDance, the China-based parent company of TikTok, to divest the app’s U.S. assets. This extension comes despite a law requiring the sale or shutdown of TikTok in the U.S. without significant progress.

Trump signed an executive order delaying the original deadline, which was set for Thursday, by 90 days—a move he had previously indicated.

The Republican president had already granted two extensions earlier, postponing enforcement of a law that mandated TikTok’s sale or shutdown by January, unless significant progress was made toward divestment.

Trump has expressed a desire to keep TikTok operational in the U.S., noting the app helped him gain young voters in the 2024 presidential election. He also voiced optimism that Chinese President Xi Jinping would approve a deal preserving TikTok’s presence in the U.S., although it is unclear how much the issue has been discussed amid ongoing tariff disputes between the two countries.

TikTok released a statement expressing gratitude for Trump’s support in keeping the app available. The company said it is continuing discussions with U.S. Vice President JD Vance’s office.

White House spokeswoman Karoline Leavitt told reporters that the extension provides “more time to make a good deal.” She added that legal experts at the White House and Department of Justice support the extension’s legality.

On Tuesday, Trump had indicated he would likely extend the deadline and expressed hope for China’s approval of the sale. “I think President Xi will ultimately approve it,” he said.

The 2024 law required TikTok to cease operations in the U.S. by January 19 unless ByteDance had divested U.S. assets or made substantial progress toward a sale. Trump, who began his second term on January 20, chose not to enforce the law and previously extended the deadline twice: once to early April and again last month to June 19.

Earlier this year, Trump offered to reduce tariffs on China to facilitate a deal for TikTok’s U.S. operations, which currently serve 170 million Americans. A planned deal would spin off TikTok’s U.S. business into a new company majority-owned by U.S. investors but was paused after China indicated it would not approve it amid tariff tensions.

Some Democratic lawmakers argue that Trump lacks legal authority to extend the deadline and question whether the proposed deal would comply with legal requirements.

Trump to Extend TikTok Sale Deadline for Third Time, White House Confirms

/in /tarafından

U.S. President Donald Trump will extend the June 19 deadline for ByteDance, TikTok’s China-based parent company, to divest the app’s U.S. assets by 90 days, according to the White House. This marks the third extension of the deadline imposed by a law requiring either a sale or shutdown of TikTok in the United States unless significant progress toward divestment was made.

White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said on Tuesday that Trump plans to sign another executive order this week to keep TikTok operational, pushing the deadline to mid-September. She emphasized the administration’s intention to ensure the sale is completed so Americans can continue using TikTok with confidence in their data’s security.

Trump previously extended the deadline twice: initially delaying enforcement from January to early April, then again to June 19. He cited TikTok’s popularity among young voters in the 2024 election as a reason for the extensions. On Tuesday, Trump told reporters aboard Air Force One that he expected to extend the deadline again and expressed optimism that Chinese President Xi Jinping would approve the deal.

The law mandated TikTok’s shutdown by January 19 unless ByteDance completed the sale of its U.S. operations or demonstrated significant progress. Negotiations have aimed to spin off TikTok’s U.S. operations into a new, majority U.S.-owned company, but progress stalled after China signaled it would not approve the deal, especially following Trump’s announcements of steep tariffs on Chinese goods.

Democratic senators have criticized the extensions, questioning Trump’s legal authority to continue delaying enforcement and expressing concerns that the proposed deal would not satisfy legal requirements.

TikTok Charged with Breaching EU Content Rules Under Digital Services Act

/in /tarafından

TikTok has been formally charged by EU regulators with violating the Digital Services Act (DSA), a sweeping content regulation law aimed at increasing transparency and accountability for major online platforms. The European Commission’s preliminary findings, released Thursday, could expose TikTok’s parent company ByteDance to a fine of up to 6% of global turnover.

Key Allegations:

The European Commission said TikTok has failed to:

  • Publish a comprehensive ad repository, as required by the DSA, which would allow researchers and users to detect scam and manipulative advertisements.

  • Provide clear data on ad content, targeting practices, and disclosure of the entity behind each ad.

  • Ensure full ad transparency, a core DSA obligation to combat disinformation and exploitative practices.

“Transparency in online advertising — who pays and how audiences are targeted — is essential to safeguarding the public interest,” said Henna Virkkunen, EU digital policy chief.

TikTok’s Response:

TikTok said it supports the goals of the DSA and is working to improve its ad transparency tools. However, it disagreed with the Commission’s interpretation and criticized the lack of clear, public guidance:

“Guidance is being delivered via preliminary findings rather than clear, public guidelines,” a spokesperson said. “A level playing field and consistent enforcement are essential.”

What’s Next:

  • TikTok now has the opportunity to review the evidence and submit a written response before the Commission makes a final decision.

  • If found guilty of breaching the DSA, ByteDance could face financial penalties and further scrutiny over how it manages online advertising and content moderation.

  • TikTok is also under a separate EU investigation into its election-related risk management practices.

The case marks a significant escalation in the EU’s efforts to enforce the DSA, which came into effect in 2023 to curb harmful content, improve transparency, and hold tech giants accountable for the societal impact of their platforms.