Can TikTok survive under Trump?
Whatever happens in the end – I mean, if TikTok gets banned in the US or not – many people will be disappointed. If TikTok gets banned in the Land of the free and the home of the brave, some will be concerned about the freedom of speech issue (and rightly so); but many will just mourn the loss of the 5-second funny cat videos.
If TikTok does not get banned, many people will also be annoyed; they consider TikTok to be a soul-sucking Dementor’s Kiss, a kryptonite for the mind (I can relate to a certain degree).
So, which one will it be? For the moment, it appears that TikTok is about to survive under Trump in the US. Well, well, well.
TikTok’s outlook in the US has significantly brightened following Donald Trump’s re-election, according to industry experts and insiders, The South China Morning Post reports.
Cameron Johnson, a senior partner at consultancy TidalWave Solutions, noted that the situation for TikTok now appears much more favorable.
He believes that while the new Trump administration might still push for concessions like localizing data storage and management, an outright ban on the platform seems unlikely. Johnson suggested that TikTok’s role in shaping public sentiment may have played a part in Trump’s election success, which could discourage any drastic regulatory moves against the app.
Johnson also pointed out that the decision to preserve TikTok could serve as a strategic asset for Trump in future negotiations with the Chinese government, potentially giving the US a stronger bargaining position.
The valuation of ByteDance, the app’s Chinese parent company, has surged as a result.
ByteDance recently valued itself at around $300 billion, marking one of its highest valuations despite the possibility of the looming US ban. The valuation was revealed in a new share buyback offer, suggesting that ByteDance expects continued growth even amid regulatory threats.
The company’s valuation has been increasing over the past year. In October 2023, ByteDance valued itself at nearly $225 billion.