Tik-Tok

I just read that Biden signed a bill that forces ByteDance to sell Tik-Tok in 270 days or face a ban. ByteDance now has until January 19, 2025 to sell Tik-Tok.

I personally support the ban on Tik-Tok. It’s naive to think that China has no influence on Tik-Tok. They have influence in every major company in China. It’s simply too good of a tool to influence Americans and I don’t see a world in which China is not using that to their advantage.

These next 8 months will be very interesting. We’ll have a lot to discuss including First Amendment, China vs US, censorship, Gen Z, etc. It will be one of the most heated discussions in 2024.

My prediction right now is that we’ll have some cop-out middle of road agreement. Perhaps Tik-Tok spins out a US entity where ByteDance may still have control over the broader Tik-Tok and have an investment in the Tik-Tok US. But this may satisfy lawmakers at least. Or there will be agreement to put things in pause prior to the election to gain votes.