Due to a federal ban that took effect on January 19, 2025, millions of TikTok users in the U.S. are currently unable to use the app. The ban was imposed after the U.S. Supreme Court upheld a law requiring TikTok’s Chinese parent company, ByteDance, to sell its American operations or face closure. TikTok claimed that the ban was unjustified and in violation of the First Amendment. However, the court dismissed the appeal on the grounds of national security.
TikTok Appeal in Supreme Court
The Supreme Court unanimously denied TikTok’s appeal against the ban on January 17, 2025, in the U.S. Congress’ view that divestiture was necessary to address valid national security concerns regarding foreign adversaries’ data collection practices, which was highlighted by this ruling. The U.S. Supreme Court’s ruling may impact TikTok’s availability, potentially affecting its 170 million users.
The Supreme Court’s ruling to enforce the ban has drawn criticism from non-profit organisations such as American Civil Liberties Union, which says it gives the government the authority to censor a platform that more than 170 million Americans use for national security purposes. Compared to actions taken by authoritarian governments, banning TikTok will have a major effect on free speech.
Trump’s Potential 90-Day Extension for TikTok
To maintain TikTok’s presence in the U.S., President-elect Donald Trump has stated that he is “most likely” to grant a 90-day extension despite the upcoming ban. This would give the app more time to find a non-Chinese buyer. The CEO of TikTok expressed his hope that the Trump administration will figure out a way to bring the app back to the US market.
Due to continuous debates concerning ownership and legal compliance, TikTok’s future in the US is still unclear. In the event that no solution is found, the removal of TikTok might help rival websites like YouTube Shorts and Instagram Reels, which might draw users searching for alternatives during this enforced blackout. Consequently, a large number of users, advertisers, and influencers have switched to other platforms like YouTube Shorts and Instagram Reels.
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