US Supreme Court upholds TikTok ban law

The US Supreme Court has recently made a significant ruling regarding TikTok, a widely used social media platform known for its short video content. The court has upheld a law that mandates TikTok to cease its operations in the United States unless its parent company, ByteDance, sells the app by this upcoming Sunday. TikTok had contested this law, arguing that it infringes upon the free speech rights of its more than 170 million users in the US. However, the Supreme Court unanimously rejected this argument, meaning that TikTok must now find a buyer for its US operations or face removal from app stores and web hosting services. The White House has indicated that it will be the responsibility of the incoming President Donald Trump's administration to enforce this law. Trump has promised to make a decision regarding TikTok in the near future. TikTok's CEO, Shou Zi Chew, is expected to attend Trump's inauguration and has expressed gratitude for the president's willingness to collaborate with the app to ensure its continued availability in the US. Both Democratic and Republican lawmakers voted to ban TikTok last year due to concerns about its connections to the Chinese government. TikTok has consistently maintained that it does not share user data with Beijing. The law, which was passed in April of last year, allows ByteDance until January 19, 2025, to sell the US version of TikTok to a neutral party to avoid a complete ban. If the sale does not occur, Apple and Google will stop offering the app to new users and will cease providing security updates to current users, which could ultimately lead to the app's demise. ByteDance has stated that it does not intend to sell TikTok and plans to shut down its US operations if the law is enforced. The Supreme Court ruled without any dissenting opinions, affirming that the law does not violate the First Amendment, which protects free speech. The justices supported a lower court's decision that upheld the statute after it was challenged by ByteDance. The Supreme Court acknowledged that TikTok provides a unique and expansive outlet for expression for over 170 million Americans, but they also noted that Congress has determined that divesting the app is necessary to address well-supported national security concerns regarding TikTok's data collection practices and its relationship with a foreign adversary. Following the Supreme Court's ruling, White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre stated that President Biden's position on TikTok has been clear for months: TikTok should remain accessible to Americans, but only under American ownership or ownership that addresses the national security concerns identified by Congress in developing this law. However, due to the timing of the situation, she added that the responsibility to implement the law must fall to the next administration, which takes office on Monday. On Friday, Trump posted on his social media platform, Truth Social, stating that the Supreme Court's decision was anticipated and that everyone must respect it. He mentioned that his decision regarding TikTok would be made in the near future, but he needs time to review the situation. He also revealed that he had spoken with China's President Xi Jinping about TikTok and other issues. In December, Trump expressed that he had a favorable view of the app, as it helped him connect with young voters during the 2024 election. This marks a shift in his stance from his first term as president when he attempted to ban the app through an executive order. Content creators on TikTok have been sharing their thoughts and feelings about the potential ban and how it could impact their livelihoods. Drew Talbert, a creator with over five million followers, shared that TikTok transformed his life, allowing him to go from being a waiter to owning a home. Kalani Smith, who has more than three million followers, described the ban as a slap in the face, stating that he was homeless before TikTok and that the platform helped him achieve his current success. Kelley Heyer, who created a viral dance to a Charli XCX song, expressed that the government's decision to take away TikTok would essentially mean taking away jobs from millions of people. The ban comes at a time of heightened concern in the US regarding Chinese espionage. Cybersecurity experts have suggested that the app is capable of collecting user data beyond what users view on TikTok. US Attorney General Merrick Garland stated that authoritarian regimes should not have unrestricted access to Americans' data and that this decision prevents China from potentially using TikTok to undermine US national security. In 2017, China enacted a law that compels Chinese nationals living abroad to cooperate with its intelligence services. However, Beijing has denied that it pressures companies to collect information on its behalf and has criticized the ban. TikTok has repeatedly emphasized that it has not been asked to provide any user data. The app argues that the law endangers free speech and would negatively impact its users, advertisers, content creators, and employees. TikTok employs around 7,000 people in the US. During the Supreme Court hearings, TikTok's lawyer argued that the app is one of America's most popular platforms for free speech and that the law would force it to go dark unless ByteDance sells the app. After the ruling, TikTok's CEO stated that this is a strong stand for the First Amendment and against arbitrary censorship. He expressed gratitude for the support of President Trump, who he believes understands the platform. The timeline of events leading to this decision includes several key dates. On April 24, 2024, President Biden signed a bipartisan TikTok bill, which gave ByteDance six months to sell its controlling stake or face a ban in the US. On May 7, TikTok filed a lawsuit aiming to block the law, calling it an extraordinary intrusion on free speech rights. On August 2, the US government filed a lawsuit against TikTok, accusing the company of unlawfully collecting children's data and failing to respond when parents attempted to delete their children's accounts. On December 6, TikTok's bid to overturn the law, which would see it banned or sold in the US from early 2025, was rejected by a federal appeals court. On December 27, President-elect Trump asked the US Supreme Court to delay the upcoming ban while he worked on a political resolution. On January 10, 2025, the Supreme Court's nine justices heard arguments from lawyers representing TikTok and content creators, who argued that the ban would violate free speech protections for the platform's more than 170 million users in the US. Finally, on January 17, 2025, the US Supreme Court upheld the law that could lead to TikTok being banned within days due to national security concerns. The deadline for TikTok to sell its US stake or face a ban is January 19, 2025, and TikTok has indicated it will 'go dark' on this day.