TRUMP BAN ON TIK TOK APP HITS A ROADBLOCK STUART HIMMEL Staff Writer
A federal judge postponed a Trump
that it must sell its U.S. operations to
publicly and filed his judicial opinion
administration order that would have
American companies or be barred
under seal. In arguments to Judge
banned TIK TOK from U.S. smart-
from the country.
Nichols, Tik Tok lawyers said that Tik
phone App stores.
Tok is more than an app, since it Tik Tok is still scrambling to firm up a
functions as a “modern day version of
A more comprehensive ban remains
deal tentatively struck the 3rd week of
a town square”. If the prohibition
scheduled for November about a
September in which it would partner
goes into effect at midnight, the
week after the Presidential election.
with Oracle and Walmart in an effort
consequences are grave. It would be
The judge, Carl Nichols of the U.S.
to win the blessing of both the
no different than the government
District Court for the District of
Chinese (who own Tik Tok) and the
locking the doors to a public forum,
Columbia, did not agree to postpone
U.S. governments. In the meantime it
roping off that town square at a time
the later ban.
is fighting to keep the App available in
when a free exchange of ideas is
the U.S. Tik Tok is pleased with the
necessary heading into an election.
The ruling followed an emergency
court ruling and continues to work
Tik Tok lawyers also argued that a
hearing Sept. 27th in which lawyers
with both Oracle and Walmart in an
ban on the app would affect the
for Tik Tok argued that the administra-
effort to bring the proposal into an
ability of tens of thousands of
tion’s app store ban would infringe on
actual agreement. The U.S.
potential viewers and content
U.S. First Amendment rights and do
commerce department said it will
creators to express themselves every
irreparable harm to the business.
comply with the Judge’s order but
month and would also hurt its ability
intends to defend the administration’s
to hire new talent. Their layers also
President Trump declared that Tik Tok
efforts against the app. Judge
argued that the ban would prevent
was a threat to national security and
Nichols did not explain his reasoning
existing users from automatically
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MBE BUSINESS MAGAZINE NOVEMBER 2020
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