TikTok Responds After Trump Says He Will Ban App in U.S.

Following news late Friday that President Donald Trump plans to ban TikTok in the U.S., the popular social media app responded to Trump’s claim, with U.S. general manager Vanessa Pappas taking to the platform to tell TikTok users it will not be leaving the U.S., and that TikTok is a safe and secure app for users.

“We’ve heard your outpouring of support, and we want to say thank you. We’re not planning on going anywhere,” Pappas said in the video. “TikTok is a home for creators and artists to express themselves, their ideas and connect with people across different backgrounds, and we are so proud of all the various communities that call TikTok their home. I’m also proud of our 1,500 U.S. employees who work on this app every day, and the additional 10,000 jobs that we’re bringing into this country over the next three years. I’m thrilled about our U.S. creator fund, where we just announced our $1 billion fund to support our creators, and when it comes to safety and security, we’re building our safest app because we know it’s the right thing to do. So we appreciate the support, we’re here for the long run and continue to share your voice here, and let’s stand for TikTok.”

Multiple reports surfaced Saturday saying that Chinese parent company ByteDance has offered to completely divest its American operations for the app. Reuters first reported the news, and Axios reported that Trump has “a deal on his desk” that would have Microsoft lead a total purchase of TikTok’s U.S. operations.

When Rolling Stone reached out to TikTok Friday night for a comment, a spokesperson for the app said in a statement, “These are the facts: 100 million Americans come to TikTok for entertainment and connection, especially during the pandemic. We’ve hired nearly 1,000 people to our US team this year alone, and are proud to be hiring another 10,000 employees into great paying jobs across the US. Our $1 billion creator fund supports US creators who are building livelihoods from our platform. TikTok US user data is stored in the US, with strict controls on employee access. TikTok’s biggest investors come from the US. We are committed to protecting our users’ privacy and safety as we continue working to bring joy to families and meaningful careers to those who create on our platform.”

https://www.rollingstone.com/pro/news/tiktok-responds-trump-ban-1038027/