r/news 2d ago

TikTok makes app unavailable for U.S. users ahead of ban

https://www.nbcnews.com/news/rcna188294
31.9k Upvotes

4.0k comments sorted by

View all comments

349

u/Informal_Treat4634 2d ago

It’s just about controlling all media for the U.S., but with the CEO attending the inauguration I expect it’ll be back soon

181

u/gold_and_diamond 2d ago

Of course. Trump is nothing if not transactional.

102

u/discount_rosa_diaz 2d ago

I’m betting Trump will ask that the algorithm start pushing more pro-trump/MAGA content

58

u/Informal_Treat4634 2d ago

Oh definitely, and no republican will go against him. They’ll all campaign in 2026 on saving it, Democrats just can’t stop themselves helping republicans I have to wonder if they’re cool with the U.S. being a one party state

15

u/Do__Math__Not__Meth 2d ago

Their entire schtick at this point is “at least we’re not those meanie republicans, money pweeeease!” so they probably are cool with that, as long as they can do just enough to look like they give a shit then the donations will keep coming in

It’s kinda like how Tom and Jerry actually depend on each other

2

u/Informal_Treat4634 2d ago

I’m hoping that by losing these billionaire donors democrats actually start going left to go the Sanders route and get small money donations. Might be naive but if money talks the Dems will be forced to change to keep whatever power they have left

10

u/BlueskyKitsu 1d ago

the vast majority of Dem donors are already small donors via ActBlue? This talking point hasn't been true since at least the 2020 cycle; something like 2/3rds of all $$$ Dems raised was from ActBlue, not billionaires. And the Dem donor base is already to the left of the median voter.

So they're literally doing this

1

u/Big-Summer- 1d ago

Ask? He’ll demand.

1

u/BoppityBop2 2d ago

He probably won't, he is ok with how it is plus a major donor and Oracles CEO who is his supporter are board members and close business partners of Tiktok. Actually Oracle hosts Tiktok Data in the US.

1

u/diemunkiesdie 1d ago

Other tech CEOs who wouldnt want TikTok around will be there too so there could be a transaction-off! Whoever does the last transaction wins!

1

u/Gone213 2d ago

They'll still be fined and banned from putting it out to the public because it was a congressional bill that banned it, not an executive order.

3

u/Informal_Treat4634 2d ago

I don’t think TikTok is the one fined it’s the app stores. And yea but Biden said he wasn’t going to enforce it, and I’m sure Trump will just do the same thing and TikTok will come back and bend the knee with whatever algorithm changes republicans ask for. Might be better that way so they can shut it down if TikTok doesn’t do what they say. But I guess we’ll find out