The Protecting Americans from Foreign Adversary Controlled Applications Act shouldn’t be enforced, orders  President  Trump.

Not For You

What’s the craic? Kenneth Li, Katie Paul, David Shepardson, Nandita Bose, Jeff Mason, Eduardo Baptista and Chris Sanders tag-team Trump/TikTok truthiness: TikTok gets reprieve with Trump order—but with twist

“A warm spot in my heart”
President Donald Trump signed an executive order on Monday seeking to delay by 75 days the enforcement of a ban of … TikTok that was slated to be shuttered on Jan. 19. [He] suggested the United States government should be a half owner of TikTok’s U.S. business in return for keeping the app alive and warned that he could impose tariffs on China if Beijing failed to approve a U.S. deal with TikTok.
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The drama began Saturday when the short video app used by 170 million Americans was taken offline for users shortly before [the] law … took effect on Sunday. The next day Trump said he had plans to “Save TikTok.” Within hours, the company began restoring its service, … but TikTok is still not available for download in the Apple and Google app stores. … It is still unclear if Trump’s order will be enough to convince [them] to restore [it].
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But the legality of Trump’s executive order is unclear. The law requiring the divestiture was passed by big majorities in Congress … and upheld by a unanimous Supreme Court. [But] Trump has said he has “a warm spot in my heart for TikTok,” crediting the app with helping him win over young voters.

Can a President actually do this? Lily Jamali, Peter Hoskins and Michelle Fleury suggest not: Delay to TikTok ban

Did you uninstall the app already? Alejandra Gularte’s got news for you: No, TikTok Isn’t Back

“Try using the web browser”
If you preemptively deleted TikTok under the assumption that it would be banned for longer than 14 hours, sorry you’re experiencing FOMO right now. After President Trump announced he would pass an executive order to save the app on Sunday, TikTok returned. [But] it might be a while before TikTok can welcome new users.
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As for when TikTok will be available to download or update once again, who’s to say. The law states that providers like … Apple, and Google would be fined for having the app available, not the users, so they have no incentive to get TikTok back … during the 75-day extension. So, if you really want to use TikTok, maybe you can try using the web browser version in the meantime.

TL;DR? gsgrego has a go:

In other words: China influencing Americans and being a security problem is okay, so long as some rich and powerful Americans also profit off of it.

What are Apple and Google to do? jazzyjackson joins in:

President says one thing, law says another, companies must choose their allegiance to which reality they adhere to, but end up in a lose/lose situation. Pour one out for Apple’s lawyers working late tonight.
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I guess as long as the President is competent at directing the executive branch to not enforce a law then … you win by making yourself a sycophant. But if you don’t trust the President to write an EO that actually prevents you from being fined millions of dollars a day then you’re just stuck with ambiguity of what you’re allowed to do. Bad for business.

Wait. Pause. Congress passed the law because of China’s undue influence, right? Powercntrl scoffs thuswise:

We keep guns around—devices that are literally intended for killing—because it says so in the constitution. Just like we’ve learned to live with all the problems caused by guns, we were supposed to either work around or just come to accept the problems inherent to allowing Americans to venture out onto the global internet. That’s how freedom works. There is no sensible argument for banning TikTok.
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“A foreign adversary is going to use their influence to undermine our country,” [is] what they tell the citizens in every non-free country when their corrupt government bans something. Clearly, it works.

But a President unilaterally deciding not to enforce a federal law? How is that normal? cle has history on their side:

This is pretty normal. Even George Washington declined to enforce the law at times.
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[An] example of “discretion” is the lack of enforcement of federal drug laws with respect to marijuana. There are 39 states flaunting federal law, and presidents haven’t bothered enforcing it.

Vibe check: How we all doing, fam? HollowedLeaf can’t cope:

We’re not even 24 hours in and I’m already exhausted.

Meanwhile, passivesmoking is bad for you: [You’re fired—Ed.]

I love that they made TikTok pop up a message that amounted to “All Hail President Trump!” A taste of things to come, I suspect. The **** Around phase happened in November; America is now entering the Find Out phase.

And Finally:

The “lines on maps” guy has a fascinating take

Previously in And Finally

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Image sauce: Gage Skidmore (cc:by-sa; leveled and cropped)