US Supreme Court Clears the Way for Potential TikTok Ban

17 January, 2025

The U.S. Supreme Court approves a law that could lead to a TikTok ban unless ByteDance sells its U.S. operations.

In a significant legal ruling, the United States Supreme Court has given approval to a law that could lead to a ban on TikTok within the country. This decision marks a major setback for the popular social media platform, as hopes were dashed following the court’s dismissal of TikTok’s appeal.

The ban entails that unless the Chinese parent company ByteDance sells TikTok to an American owner by Sunday, the app could be barred from the US market.

The background to this development stems from a law passed in the US last April, allowing third-party providers like Google and Apple to cease distributing the app if it remains under Chinese ownership.

On Friday, the US Supreme Court affirmed that a ban on TikTok does not violate the First Amendment of the Constitution regarding freedom of speech, thereby rejecting TikTok’s appeal.

Concerns have been raised by the US government about TikTok’s potential ties to the Chinese government, suggesting that user data could be exploited for purposes such as espionage or coercion.

TikTok’s legal representatives argued that banning the app would infringe upon freedom of speech. Meanwhile, ByteDance has denied any affiliation with the Chinese government.

If the ban goes into effect, TikTok would likely become unavailable for download in the US. Existing users may continue to use the app but could face limitations on updates, leading to its eventual deterioration over time, as reported by the New York Times.

There have been indications that President Joe Biden may not immediately enforce the ban, contrasting with earlier signals from the previous administration. Even Donald Trump, who once criticized TikTok, later expressed support for the app during his election campaign.

“ANYONE WHO WANTS TO SAVE TIK TOK IN AMERICA, VOTE FOR TRUMP!” he posted on Truth Social last fall.

While Trump has pledged to keep the app running, specifics on how this would be achieved have yet to be detailed by his transition team, according to AP.