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Welcome to The Logoff: The Trump administration says it has agreed on a deal that will let TikTok keep away from a US ban.
What’s the context? TikTok, which is owned by the Chinese language tech firm ByteDance, was alleged to be topic to a nationwide ban beginning in January 2025, after a deadline for ByteDance to promote the app — imposed by Congress in 2024 — handed unmet.
As an alternative, President Donald Trump has signed a sequence of government orders punting on the ban. The most recent of these orders, in June, set the brand new deadline for September 17 — this Wednesday.
What does the deal say? We don’t know but, although any deal would require the sale of TikTok to a US-based proprietor. As is commonly the case below Trump, the introduced deal is at the moment only a “framework,” in response to Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent. Chinese language officers mentioned Monday that the 2 sides had reached a “fundamental consensus” on a deal.
Why did the US need to ban TikTok within the first place? Concern about TikTok boils all the way down to a priority about Chinese language affect. ByteDance’s shut relationship with the Chinese language authorities, coupled with the app’s proprietary content material algorithm and huge attain — TikTok has about 170 million American customers — imply China may achieve entry to very large quantities of American information or use TikTok to unfold propaganda.
Why does this matter? TikTok’s large consumer base within the US means a possible ban is a politically delicate matter, notably with younger voters who’re changing into more and more electorally necessary for each events.
What comes subsequent? It’s nonetheless attainable Trump pushes the deadline for the ban again additional as phrases of the deal — if it holds — are finalized. For now, Trump mentioned he’s set to talk with Chinese language President Xi Jinping in regards to the deal on Friday.
And with that, it’s time to sign off…
It’s essentially the most great time of the 12 months: The 2025 World Athletics Championships started over the weekend in Tokyo, Japan, which suggests 9 days of fantastic observe and area motion. However the remainder of the schedule goes to have a tough time topping my favourite race of the meet to this point, from this morning (East Coast time, not less than — Tokyo is 16 hours forward).
Within the 3,000-meter steeplechase, the place runners bounce over 4 boundaries and one water bounce per lap for seven and a half laps, New Zealand runner Geordie Beamish took a surprising win over double world champion and double Olympic gold medalist Soufiane El Bakkali. It’s the sort of end you must see to consider, and you’ll watch it right here. Have a terrific night!