WASHINGTON — The US Senate on Tuesday passed legislation giving TikTok’s Chinese owner ByteDance, about nine months to divest the US assets of the short-video app, or face a nationwide ban. President Joe Biden said he will to sign the bill into law on Wednesday.
Here is what will likely happen next for TikTok.
TikTok clock starts
Once Biden signs the bill, a 270-day clock starts during which ByteDance must sell TikTok. If it looks like ByteDance is close to divestment near the end of the nine-month period, the president can authorise an additional 90 days for any deal to be finalised.
If the bill is signed into law this week, as expected, the 270-day period will end around the inauguration of the next president of the United States, on Jan 20, 2025, leaving the decision on an extra three months either to Biden, a Democrat, who is seeking reelection, or Republican front runner Donald Trump.
TikTok sues
Once the bill is signed into law, TikTok is expected to sue to stop it. TikTok’s lawyers are also expected to ask the court for a preliminary injunction.
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