Won’t somebody please think of the children?
President Trump will reprieve TikTok a third time, despite concerns about security, press freedom and child safety. The White House says he’ll sign yet another executive order preventing enforcement of PAFACA—the Protecting Americans from Foreign Adversary Controlled Applications Act.
As you might remember, he first did this way back in January. In today’s SB Blogwatch, we turn the page for you.
Your humble blogwatcher curated these bloggy bits for your entertainment. Not to mention: Is this even real?.
PAFACA Pause Persists
What’s the craic? Aamer Madhani reports: Trump will sign an order extending deadline for TikTok’s Chinese owner to sell app
“Will be the third time”
President Donald Trump will … extend a deadline for TikTok’s Chinese owner to divest the popular video sharing app. … “As he has said many times, President Trump does not want TikTok to go dark,” White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said.
…
It will be the third time Trump has extended the deadline. … It is not clear how many times Trump can … keep extending the ban as the government continues to try to negotiate a deal for TikTok, which is owned by China’s ByteDance. Trump has amassed more than 15 million followers on TikTok since he joined last year, and he has credited the trendsetting platform with helping him gain traction among young voters.
Context? Natalie Daher, Sareen Habeshian and Maria Curi: Trump to delay ban on TikTok again
“Herculean task”
The youth can rejoice. … The wildly popular video app lives to fight another day.
…
Patience on the Hill has been wearing thin as Trump prepares to delay a ban on TikTok for the third time. Each time the White House delays enforcement of the TikTok ban, Republicans’ national security concerns are undermined.
…
U.S. bidders are ready to jump on a deal, but getting China on board continues to be a Herculean task. TikTok’s powerful algorithm … is what makes the app so popular and what China cares most about.
But why? And why now? Prof. Shweta Singh opines thuswise: The forefront of a deeper geopolitical trend
“The future of the internet”
What started as a controversy over data privacy now has global implications. This conflict is about more than just an app. It represents a shift in the balance of digital power — one that could redefine how nations view national security, economic sovereignty and the internet itself.
…
I see TikTok as the flashpoint of a broader, more dangerous trend. Digital spaces are becoming battlefronts for geopolitical influence. TikTok has evolved from a social media app to – in the eyes of some policymakers – a digital weapon. Its … ultra-addictive content stream … gives TikTok an almost unprecedented power to shape opinions. … Users can find themselves pulled deeper into curated content streams without realising the extent to which their preferences are being shaped. … This is a potent tool in the world of digital politics.
…
There are three potential outcomes for TikTok:
— The first is a forced sale to a US-based entity, … likely provok[ing] severe retaliation from China.
— The second is a ban, which may be more symbolic than effective, but would send a strong message.
— The third, and perhaps most likely, is a long, drawn-out legal battle. …
The battle over TikTok is a harbinger of deeper tensions around how data, influence and trust are distributed online. … It’s a defining moment in the battle for the future of the internet.
Did you say a third time? Ivan Mehta reminds us of the timeline: Yet another extension
— In January, the U.S. Supreme Court upheld the law to ban TikTok, resulting in app stores and service providers pulling support for the app in the U.S.
— Just a few days after taking office, Trump signed an executive order to delay the ban to explore a deal with Bytedance to divest its U.S. business.
— On April 4, he issued another extension of 75 days to keep the short video app up and running, [which] was set to expire on Thursday.
How is this series of extensions even possible? localzuk thinks it “reveals another flaw:”
The actual law that was passed only allowed a single 90 day extension. So, how exactly is Trump, who is supposed to operate according to the law, able to extend it repeatedly? The answer is simply that it’d be Trump that would have to enforce the law via his administration. So, there’s no actual limitation on how the President and his executive operate. Congress is apparently superfluous.
Huh? innocent_white_lamb puts it another way:
There is a law that says TikTok must be divested by a certain date. … Trump just says we won’t enforce it until a date further in the future.
…
So the current situation is that TikTok is in violation of the law (and has been for the past several months). If I were in their position I would be considering going for some kind of an estoppel order to permanently void the law since it’s being (not) enforced. … Does that sound like a law worthy of respect by anyone at all?
Is there a clever strategy here? u/trainsaw wonders aloud:
I think he’s gonna try to make it a campaign issue again, to swing voters during midterms. He knows people are addicted and basically has an army of influencers on there going to the mat for him to keep their money stream.
But Dinanziame sees the irony:
What’s funny is that he’s the one who originally started the crusade against TikTok, because teens allegedly used it to coordinate protest actions against him.
What about other social media properties? TikTok is the wrong target, thinks AmiMoJo:
I’m much more concerned about having Twitter divested from Elon Musk … and having Facebook shut down entirely due to rampant misinformation, scams, and foreign agitator accounts posing as Americans. I normally wouldn’t advocate for a service to be closed, but Facebook has been unable to stop that stuff for over a decade now. Can’t even sell it off because the next capitalist will be motivated by the same engagement metrics.
Meanwhile, u/Realistic_Head3595 yearns for simpler times:
Remember when they told us TikTok was a danger to American security?🥴
And Finally:
Hat tip: Pompey Monkey
You have been reading SB Blogwatch by Richi Jennings. Richi curates the best bloggy bits, finest forums, and weirdest websites—so you don’t have to. Hate mail may be directed to @RiCHi, @richij, @[email protected], @richi.bsky.social or [email protected]. Ask your doctor before reading. Your mileage may vary. Past performance is no guarantee of future results. Do not stare into laser with remaining eye. E&OE. 30.
Image sauce: Eyestetix Studio (via Unsplash; leveled and cropped)
