The end-game is finally coming into sight in TikTok’s long-running attempt to escape being banned in the US. To judge by the recent resurgence of warnings in Washington about the security risks posed by the Chinese-owned video app, it is going to be a bumpy ride.
It is nearly two-and-a-half years since then president Donald Trump signed an executive order to ban TikTok. Plenty has happened since then, both in politics and in US/China tech relations, to change the landscape on which this battle has been fought.
A court blocked the White House order, and Trump himself is long gone. The US has moved on other fronts, most obviously with its actions against Huawei and a recent effort to thwart China’s ability to buy or make high-end chips. China, meanwhile, has cracked down on its own tech giants, leaving the clear impression they are now beholden to Beijing.