Is TikTok about to get banned in the U.S.?

The Trump administration gave the Chinese owners of TikTok until April 5 to sell their asset. But as the clock ticks down to that date, confusion reigns — and no official announcement of a sale has been made.

A host of potential owners of the social media site, including Amazon, Oracle, Microsoft, and Project Liberty have come forward. Some potential buyers are wary of the U.S. government allowing TikTok’s Chinese operators to retain control of the app’s algorithm and simply lease it to the U.S. buyer, according to ABC.

That could put the new owner in conflict with a law signed by President Biden last year that bans “the establishment or maintenance of any operational relationship” between the U.S. app and “any formerly affiliated entities that are controlled by a foreign adversary, including any cooperation with respect to the operation of a content recommendation algorithm.”

TikTok’s potential owners are reportedly worried about being sued by the U.S. government after the purchase, and want liability protection.

The state of TikTok: Still up

Does that mean TikTok will shut down April 5 for its 170 million American users?

Trump has suggested he will extend the sale’s deadline, likely via executive order, if a deal cannot be reached by Saturday. Trump already extended an earlier deadline for a ban or sale on his first day in office, January 20.

The president says new tariffs announced on Chinese goods will give the U.S. government leverage over the TikTok sale. Still, China may not want to play ball with the U.S. during a widening trade war.

This story is developing…

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