The Journal. Wait… Was That the TikTok Ban?
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Jan 21, 2025 
Georgia Wells, a WSJ reporter who has been covering the TikTok saga, dives into the incredible twists of TikTok's journey in the U.S. She discusses Trump's flip from banning the app to saving it, and the geopolitical tensions with China that complicate its fate. Wells also highlights user reactions during a temporary TikTok blackout and explores the ongoing battle over data privacy and national security concerns. The intricacies of political maneuvering and how they shape TikTok's future are also examined, setting the stage for what comes next.
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Initial Ban Rationale
- Trump's initial TikTok ban rationale was data security and propaganda concerns.
- These concerns stemmed from the potential for Chinese government influence over TikTok's parent company, ByteDance.
Failed First-Term Ban
- Trump's attempts to ban TikTok during his first term through executive orders and a forced sale were unsuccessful.
- Chinese government intervention and legal challenges thwarted these efforts.
Project Texas Limitations
- Project Texas aimed to store US user data on US servers owned by Oracle to address security concerns.
- However, data still flowed back to China due to the algorithm's development there, raising concerns for US officials.