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Trump Extends Deadline for US TikTok Sale to September

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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.

Joe Rogan, AI Chatbots Rise as Key News Sources While Traditional Media Declines

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A new report from the Reuters Institute for the Study of Journalism reveals a major shift in how Americans consume news, with podcasters like Joe Rogan and AI chatbots playing a growing role—particularly among younger audiences—while traditional news outlets continue to lose relevance.

In the week following the January 2025 U.S. presidential inauguration, more Americans reported getting news from social and video platforms than from TV, websites, or apps, marking the first time this digital dominance has been recorded in the U.S.

The study, based on a survey of nearly 100,000 people across 48 countries, found the trend especially pronounced among Americans under 35, with over 50% turning to social and video networks as their primary news sources. Globally, 44% of those aged 18–24 also rely on these platforms.

Podcaster Joe Rogan was cited as a news or commentary source by 20% of Americans in the post-inauguration week, making him a top figure in the evolving news landscape. Other widely followed political influencers include Tucker Carlson, Megyn Kelly, Candace Owens, Ben Shapiro, and on the left, Brian Tyler Cohen and David Pakman. Most of these top political voices are male, according to the report.

“These creators are attracting audiences traditional media struggle to reach—especially young men, right-leaning users, and people with low trust in mainstream media,” said Nic Newman, Senior Research Associate at the Reuters Institute.

However, this shift comes with risks. Online influencers are considered major sources of false or misleading information, second only to politicians in the U.S. Over 70% of Americans said they are concerned about distinguishing true from false information online—one of the highest levels globally.

The report also highlights the emerging role of AI in news consumption. Among people under 25, 15% use AI chatbots for news weekly, with ChatGPT, Google Gemini, and Meta AI being the most cited tools. Overall AI-based news usage remains lower, at 7%, but growing.

This trend may also threaten traditional publishers, as AI tools reduce the need for users to click through to original news websites.

While text remains the preferred format for consuming news globally, about a third of people say they prefer watching, and 15% prefer listening—a shift driven largely by younger audiences.

Meanwhile, X (formerly Twitter) is seeing a resurgence as a news platform in the U.S., especially among right-leaning users and young men, with 23% of Americans now using it for news—up 8 points from last year. Other alternative platforms like Threads, Bluesky, and Mastodon are struggling to reach even 2% of users.

Despite all these shifts, trust in news has remained steady at 40% globally for the past three years, the report notes.

Meta’s Threads to Test Direct Messaging Feature in Select Markets

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Meta Platforms announced it will begin testing a direct messaging feature on its Threads app in select markets, including Hong Kong and Thailand. This new feature will introduce a dedicated inbox within Threads, removing the need for users to switch to Instagram’s messaging platform, CEO Mark Zuckerberg said on Tuesday.

Currently, messages on Threads will not be encrypted. The addition of direct messaging aims to make Threads more competitive with rivals such as X (formerly Twitter), TikTok, and Reddit, enhancing user engagement by offering a more complete social experience.

Threads, launched in 2023 as a direct competitor to X after Elon Musk’s takeover, has grown rapidly and now has over 350 million monthly active users. In April, Meta expanded advertising on Threads to all eligible advertisers worldwide, although the company does not expect Threads to be a major revenue driver in 2025.

Research firm Emarketer projects that Threads’ monthly active users in the U.S. will rise 17.5% to 60.5 million by next year, surpassing X’s expected decline to 50 million users.

Amid U.S. trade restrictions and the rise of AI-powered ad targeting, social media platforms are enhancing their features and user experience to maintain competitiveness in a crowded market.