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japanification | on: TikTok goes dark in the US
This message about Trump saving TikTok is just wishful thinking from TikTok.

1.) It's pointless, TikTok is officially banned in US. Even if trump decides to find a US buyer for it, it will go under strict ownership investigation. So there's no way Chinese government has any influence anymore.

2.) This means that any future Chinese apps that get popular will get banned, and no need to go through any court challenges since there's precedent and law

3.) A lot of people already left TikTok and will not come back - why would they when they know the app could be gone at any minute? The traffic from the original TikTok will just keep getting split and syphoned, until the magnificent seven claims most of it

ajmurmann | parent | next
I think 3 is a weak point. I've left multiple social media platforms several times and got sucked back in days or months later. That was when I was actively trying to not use them.

Edit: I think all it needs is a link from a friend to some TikTok content and they are back in.

zdw | parent | next
I read the message as more as being an ego stroke to someone that everyone else is ego stroking right now - seeing as Trump has a lot of influence over people further down in his party's org chart, there might be enough reason.

Trying to argue about legality is unlikely to hold much sway given how other legal issues ended.

_heimdall | parent
That was my first thought as well, but do you have any reason to say it's wishful thinking rather than the result of a conversation with Trump's team?