TikTok may soon be banned in the United States unless its Chinese parent company, ByteDance, sells it to a non-Chinese investor. This action stems from a law passed by Congress in 2024, which cited national security concerns. U.S. lawmakers are worried that the Chinese government could influence or access user data through TikTok. ByteDance has said it will not sell the platform, but American media report that several potential buyers have shown interest, including tech giant Amazon. Amazon recently made a last-minute bid in a letter sent to U.S. officials, though neither TikTok nor Amazon has commented publicly on the offer.
The U.S. government has given a deadline of April 5 for the sale to take place, after which TikTok could be forced to shut down in the country. However, former President Trump has suggested he may delay the ban if a deal isn’t finalized by then. For now, TikTok’s future in the U.S. remains uncertain.
Vocabulary:
• ban (noun): an official or legal prohibition
• buyer (noun): someone who wants to purchase something
• security (noun): protection from danger or risk
• investor (noun): a person or group who gives money to a business expecting profit
• platform (noun): a digital service or app where users can interact or share content
• law (noun): a rule made by the government
• offer (noun): a proposal to buy something
• sell (verb): to give something in exchange for money
• comment (verb): to give an opinion or response publicly
• cease (verb): to stop doing something permanently
• extend (verb): to increase the time allowed for something
• potential (adj): possible, but not yet certain
• national (adj): related to a country
• interested (adj): showing or feeling curiosity or concern about something
Source: FRANCE 24 English