US Supreme Court upholds law banning TikTok over ties to China

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Washington: TikTok could be blocked in the United States as soon as Sunday after the Supreme Court upheld a ban enacted by legislators over national security concerns about the Chinese-owned social media application.

The law, carried by Congress and signed by President Joe Biden in April, arises from fears shared by many western allies that user information could end up in the hands of the Chinese government through TikTok’s Beijing-based parent company ByteDance.

A content creator wears a “Keep TikTok” button outside the US Supreme Court in Washington.Credit: Bloomberg

It required ByteDance to divest from TikTok in the US by a deadline which comes on Sunday, January 19, Biden’s final day in the office. The company challenged the law on the grounds it violated free speech rights under the First Amendment, but on Friday the Supreme Court rejected those arguments and upheld the imminent ban.

“There is no doubt that, for more than 170 million Americans, TikTok offers a distinctive and expansive outlet for expression, means of engagement, and source of community,” the court said.

“But Congress has determined that divestiture is necessary to address its well-supported national security concerns regarding TikTok’s data collection practices and relationship with a foreign adversary.”

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However, with the inauguration of Donald Trump as president on Monday, the app’s immediate future remains under a cloud. Trump, who previously supported a ban, changed his position during the 2024 election campaign. He subsequently filed a brief to the court opposing the ban and calling for a pause.

There was speculation in the weeks leading up to Friday’s decision that Trump would direct officials not to enforce the ban, although technology firms may decide to remove it from app stores anyway. Trump’s pick for attorney-general, Pam Bondi, refused to discuss what she would do about the matter during her confirmation hearings this week.

More to come

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