US: Donald Trump Ban On TikTok Is Temporarily Blocked By Federal Judge; What It Means For Users?

TikTok Ban in US: In the absence of the injunction people who don’t yet have the app wouldn’t be able to get it, and those who already have it wouldn’t have access to updates needed to ensure its safe and smooth operation.

New Delhi: In a major blow to the US President Donald Trump’s move to ban TikTok in the country, the judgment by a federal judge granted a preliminary injunction against the ban on new downloads of the video-sharing network, which would have gone into effect from Sunday night.

What is the pronounced judgment?

The ban, scheduled to go into effect at 11:59 pm in New York, would have removed TikTok from the app stores run by Apple Inc and Google’s Android, the most widely used marketplaces for downloadable apps. The injunction only stops the ban that would have forced the app to go offline on these stores. However, as per the Bloomberg report, the judge didn’t offer an injunction on a separate set of prohibitions scheduled for November 12 which curbs the app’s use in the US.

The judge denied TikTok's request to suspend the November 12 ban, but noted that his decision was "for now." The order directed TikTok and the US to work out a schedule to proceed, which means the court wants opposing parties to find middle ground.

What it means for users?

TikTok fans in the US will continue to enjoy the platform as of now. This was the case earlier , too, because the ban was applicable to new downloads and updates. The access to new updates will help users to get security patches to keep them better protected while using the app. It also means users in US will continue to receive any new features released by the company. In the absence of the injunction people who don’t yet have the app wouldn’t be able to get it, and those who already have it wouldn’t have access to updates needed to ensure its safe and smooth operation.

TikTok has a user base of around 19 million Americans.

What’s ByteDance fighting for?

US President Donald Trump has called for bans on both TikTok and WeChat, owned by China’s Tencent Holdings Ltd., saying that the apps could give China’s government access to millions of Americans’ personal data. ByteDance, owner of TikTok platform,  is fighting the Trump administration in court even as it pursues its approval for the sale of a stake in the US business to Oracle Corp. and Walmart Inc. The bans are part of the US strained relationship with Beijing amid the US elections scheduled in November.