Tech Desk 
Mar 25, 2025
An undated image displaying TikTok in mobile screen. — Pexels
In an effort to further prevent the ban on TikTok, three Democratic senators have urged the White House to get Congressional approval for extending the deadline for ByteDance, the Chinese owner of TikTok, to divest from TikTok US.
The move aims to prevent the widely popular video-sharing app from facing a potential ban, according to Reuters.
"This non-enforcement of the TikTok ban was not only unlawful but also raised serious questions about TikTok's future," urged Senators Ed Markey, Chris Van Hollen and Cory Booker to back legislation extending the deadline to October.
US President Donald Trump earlier this year extended the deadline from January 19 to April 5 in order to postpone the enforcement of a law approved in 2023.
The law requires ByteDance to sell a majority stake to a US-based entity or get TikTok banned in the country. The US president recently hinted at further extension to grant the short video platform more time to finalise a deal.
"We urge you to stand up for TikTok’s users and use your immense influence over congressional Republicans to demand a long-term solution to the TikTok ban," the senators wrote.
The White House is reportedly considering a proposal where ByteDance’s largest non-Chinese investors would supplement their stakes and acquire TikTok’s US operations. This approach would get rid of TikTok's Chinese ownership while keeping its operations intact in the US.
With 170 million American users, TikTok’s fate has been hanging in balance for months, with US lawmakers expressing concern the platform's Beijing-based ownership.
