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Lauren Feiner

Lauren Feiner

Senior Policy Reporter

Senior Policy Reporter

    More From Lauren Feiner

    Lauren Feiner
    Lauren Feiner
    Donald Trump is reportedly considering an executive order to delay the TikTok ban.

    It would suspend enforcement of the law for 60 to 90 days, extending the timeline for a sale, The Washington Post reports. Trump’s AG pick Pam Bondi also wouldn’t commit to enforcing the TikTok law. But either of those routes wouldn’t eliminate the risk of Apple and Google hosting the app on their app stores after January 19th.

    Can Elon Musk really save TikTok?Can Elon Musk really save TikTok?
    Lauren Feiner
    Lauren Feiner
    Lauren Feiner
    US antitrust officials back an argument in Elon Musk’s legal battle against Sam Altman.

    The Federal Trade Commission and Justice Department didn’t take a position on the appropriate outcome, but write in a statement of interest that holding a seat on two competing boards can violate antitrust law — even if the board member foregoes one. At issue is Reid Hoffman’s simultaneous participation on the OpenAI and Microsoft boards.

    Lauren Feiner
    Lauren Feiner
    Creators are still hopeful after SCOTUS arguments.

    Tiffany Cianci was finishing a TikTok live stream to 70,000 people when we met in the elevator after a press conference. She was in good spirits even after camping out in her van outside the Supreme Court beginning at 2 AM. “I don’t see it as hopeless right now, and I don’t think that they’ve already decided,” she says. Creator and petitioner Tim Martin also feels “very excited and optimistic” after today’s oral arguments, saying their attorneys “did an incredible job.”

    TikTok creators at a press conference
    TikTok creators speak at a press conference after the Supreme Court heard oral arguments over the law that could ban the app.
    Lauren Feiner
    Lauren Feiner
    Lauren Feiner
    The case is submitted.

    That’s a wrap until the justices issue their ruling (or a stay to keep the law from taking effect). TikTok and creators’ attorneys will be speaking at a press conference this afternoon, and we’re going to check out the scene outside the Supreme Court.

    Lauren Feiner
    Lauren Feiner
    If Congress was really concerned about data security, they’d also go after Shein and Temu, TikTok argues.

    Those foreign-owned companies also collect plenty of data, Francisco argues, showing that Congress was really concerned with going after TikTok specifically since e-commerce apps are not part of the law.

    Lauren Feiner
    Lauren Feiner
    Sotomayor doesn’t like the idea of the president ignoring the law.

    Go figure. She points out, however, that even if the president does choose not enforce the law, companies that don’t comply will still technically be breaking it. And, she adds, the statute of limitations is five years.

    Lauren Feiner
    Lauren Feiner
    What happens if the president doesn’t enforce the law?

    Kavanaugh asks whether third parties that could be punished under the law (like Apple and Google) could rely on a presidential promise not to enforce it. Prelogar says there would likely be “strong due process arguments” they could rely on to avoid enforcement under that promise. But pulling TikTok from app stores also might be the push China needs to do a sale, she adds.