Government delays Chinese TikTok ban in U.S. after legal challenges

The Commerce Department has delayed an initiative by President Trump to force the China-based TikTok to sell at least part off its U.S. operation or face having the social media platform banned in America. 

The president and others push for the move amid concern the short-form video platform was collect personal data from U.S. subscribers. 

In a notice to the Federal Register, the department said the Trump order would “not go into effect, pending further legal developments.”

A Philadelphia judge granted a preliminary injunction last month that stopped the restrictions from going into effect after legal action was brought by individuals who used the app for business. The Trump administration is appealing the ruling.

ByteDance Ltd., the parent company of TikTok, asked a federal appeals court in Washington, D.C., this week to overturn an order by the Committee on Foreign Investment that ByteDance divest the company. 

ByteDance is still working to reach a deal with the U.S. government. Proposals to sell part of the company to Oracle, Walmart and other investors are being considered by both sides to deal with the security concerns. 

The Treasury Department says it “remains focused on reaching a resolution of the national security risks” from TikTok.