A look at how the second Trump presidency will impact the tech world in 2025
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Once more at the helm, Donald Trump's impact could be felt across various sectors, with the tech industry bracing for significant shifts come his office return in January. Topping immediate challenges, the future of the social media giant TikTok looms large, faced with an American ultimatum of a ban or forced sale that could drastically alter its global operations. These measures are proposed due to alleged connections with the Chinese government, claims TikTok and ByteDance fervently deny.
Despite championing a TikTok ban in his first term, Mr Trump's attitude seems to have thawed; he has recently expressed opposition to the ban, admitting TikTok holds a "warm spot" in his heart. The incoming ban, penned by President Joe Biden, is set to commence on January 19—just one day prior to Trump's inauguration.
The US Supreme Court has agreed to hear last-ditch legal arguments from TikTok on January 10, and depending the timeframe for that hearing and any decision to come from it, TikTok’s ultimate fate could be back in the hands of Mr Trump. Bannning TikTok would undeniably rock the social media domain, stripping the US—and inherently the globe—of major short-form video influencers, thereby potentially handing reigns over to Instagram, which is under Meta's umbrella.
The wider tech industry seems to be adopting a different stance towards the president-elect compared to his previous administration, when major firms often distanced themselves from Mr Trump. In some cases, social media companies even banned him from their platforms following the January 6 riots at the US Capitol.
