AP Technology
AP-Technology
Trump, a populist president, is flanked by tech billionaires at his inauguration
NEW YORK (AP) — Some of the most exclusive seats at President Donald Trump’s inauguration were reserved for powerful tech CEOs who also are among the world’s richest men. That’s a shift from tradition, especially for a president who has characterized himself as a champion of the working class. Seats so close to the president are usually reserved for the president’s family, past presidents and other honored guests. In one image, Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg and his wife, Priscilla Chan, stand beside Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos and his fiancee, Lauren Sánchez, along with Google CEO Sundar Pichai and Elon Musk, the SpaceX and Tesla owner who is a close Trump adviser. Also at the Capitol were Apple CEO Tim Cook and TikTok CEO Shou Zi Chew.
From backing a ban to being hailed as a savior: Inside Trump’s TikTok shift
NEW YORK (AP) — During his first term as president, Donald Trump led the effort to ban TikTok, the hugely popular video-sharing site he said posed threats to U.S. national security. But on the eve of his return to the White House, the president-elect is being hailed as the app’s savior. The developments over the weekend served as a reminder of how dramatically debates over technology, social media and national security have changed since Trump was last in the White House. It also signaled how closely Trump is following those shifts after waging a successful campaign in which he made inroads with voters in part by harnessing the appeal of some social media platforms.
TikTok restores service for US users based on Trump’s promised executive order
TikTok says it’s restoring service to users in the United States just hours after the popular video-sharing platform went dark in response to a federal ban. The announcement on X came after President-elect Donald Trump said on Sunday that he planned to pause the ban by executive order on his first day in office. Trump says the order would give TikTok’s China-based parent company more time to find an approved buyer. Millions of U.S. TikTok users were unable to access the TikTok app and platform starting late Saturday. But by Sunday afternoon, a message greeted those who signed on thanking them — and the president-elect — for their support.
Content creators respond to TikTok’s uncertain future in the US
TikTok content creators who make a living promoting their businesses and personal brands on the app were afraid that they would have to find new ways to engage consumers and make money as the app’s future in the United States remained uncertain. TikTok told U.S. users Sunday that it was beginning to restore service just hours after the popular video-sharing platform went dark in response to a federal ban, which President-elect Donald Trump said he would try to pause by executive order on his first day in office. Some users reported Sunday that the app was working again, but it remained unavailable for download in Apple and Google’s app stores.
How TikTok grew from a fun app for teens into a potential national security threat
SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — If it feels like TikTok has been around forever, that’s probably because it has, at least if you’re measuring via internet time. What’s now in question is whether it will be around much longer and, if so, in what form? The Chinese social video app merged in 2017 with the competing app Musical.ly, which also launched in China. That kicked off a remarkable seven years during which TikTok grew from a niche teen app into a global trendsetter, but also emerged as a potential national security threat, according to U.S. officials.
How TikTok grew from a fun app for teens into a potential national security threat
SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — If it feels like TikTok has been around forever, that’s probably because it has, at least if you’re measuring via internet time. What’s now in question is whether it will be around much longer and, if so, in what form? The Chinese social video app merged in 2017 with the competing app Musical.ly, which also launched in China. That kicked off a remarkable seven years during which TikTok grew from a niche teen app into a global trendsetter, but also emerged as a potential national security threat, according to U.S. officials.
Trump promotes new meme coin before taking office on pro-crypto agenda
President-elect Donald Trump has launched a new cryptocurrency token that’s soaring in value and potentially boosting his net worth. It comes just before his second inauguration and it’s the latest norm-defying promotion by the incoming president, who’s also helped sell branded bibles, gold sneakers and diamond-encrusted watches. In promoting the meme coin, Trump told supporters to “Have Fun!” and the website selling the tokens says they are meant as expressions of support and not an investment opportunity. The Trump meme coins started selling at under $10 each before soaring to as high as about $70 Sunday morning.
TikTok says it will ‘go dark’ unless it gets clarity from Biden following Supreme Court ruling
WASHINGTON (AP) — TikTok says it will have to “go dark” this weekend unless the outgoing Biden administration assures the company it won’t enforce a shutdown of the popular app after the Supreme Court unanimously upheld the federal law banning the app unless it’s sold by its China-based parent company. The court ruled Friday the risk to national security posed by TikTok’s ties to China overcomes concerns about limiting speech by the app or its 170 million users in the U.S. The court’s decision means new users won’t be able to download the app and updates won’t be available, but it won’t disappear from users’ phones.
What will happen to TikTok on Apple and Google’s app store on Sunday?
With President-elect Trump adding uncertainty around whether a TikTok ban will go into effect, the focus is now turning to companies like Google and Apple. The two companies are expected to take the popular video sharing app off their platforms in just two days. But it’s unclear how a shutdown of the popular social media platform will play out and what Americans will see when the clock strikes midnight on Sunday. Under the law, mobile app stores and internet hosting services will face major fines if they continue to distribute the platform to U.S. users beyond the deadline for divestment from ByteDance, TikTok’s China-based parent company. The companies could face fines of up to $5,000 for each user who continues to access TikTok, which means the penalties could total a large sum.
Trump’s inauguration will usher in a crypto-friendly administration, and with it, new state policies
HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) — The bitcoin-friendly administration of President-elect Donald Trump and an expanding lobbying effort in statehouses could bring a cryptocurrency policy blitz in 2025. Together, they could push states to become more crypto-friendly and more public pension funds and treasuries to buy cryptocurrency. Proponents of the uniquely volatile commodity argue that it’s a valuable hedge against inflation, similar to gold. But the risks are significant. Critics say a crypto investment is highly speculative with so much unknown about projecting its future returns and warn that investors should be prepared to lose their cash. 2024 was a landmark year for crypto, with bitcoin surpassing $100,000. On Monday, it jumped past $109,000.
