Extend the TikTok Deadline Act: US lawmakers propose 270-day extension in TikTok ban deadline

Democratic lawmakers urge Biden and Congress to extend the January 19 deadline to ban Tiktok in the U.S. by 270 days.

Since the outcome of the latest challenge to the law banning Tiktok in America, the U.S. Supreme Court is preparing to push forward with the decision by Sunday, January 19. However, Sen. Ed Markey, D-Mass announced on Monday that he plans to introduce legislation to extend the deadline by 270 days.

The ban comes amid concerns that TikTok jeopardises national security and gathers the data of American citizens. If Bytedance, Tiktok's parent company fails to meet the January 19 deadline to sell its U.S assets, it will become illegal for Apple's App store and Google's Play store to distribute the application.

Several lawmakers have opposed the ban, arguing that it would infringe on Americans' freedom of expression including Markey, who plans to introduce legislation to delay the deadline by an extra 270 days.

https://www.markey.senate.gov/news/press-releases/senator-markey-to-introduce-bill-to-extend-deadline-for-tiktok-ban-takes-to-senate-floor-in-support-of-vibrant-online-communities

"TikTok creators and users across the nation are understandably alarmed. They are uncertain about the future of the platform, their accounts, and the vibrant online communities they have cultivated," Markey stated. “These communities cannot be replicated on another app. A ban would dismantle a one-of-a-kind informational and cultural ecosystem, silencing millions in the process."

Markey along with Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky, and Rep. Ro Khanna, D-Calif. also submitted a bipartisan brief arguing that "there are less drastic measures that could effectively address data security issues without infringing on constitutional rights."

Additionally, Reuters reported that Biden could extend the deadline by 90 days if he certifies ByteDance is making substantial progress toward a divestiture.

While Reuters said it is unlikely ByteDance could meet that standard, some have expressed interest in buying TikTok.

Project Liberty, an organization spearheaded by billionaire Frank McCourt and joined by Shark Tank host and investor Kevin O'Leary, announced last week that it formally offered to buy the U.S. assets of Tiktok. If successful, it would only be the U.S. assets and not the algorithm, which China will consider intellectual property.