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  • TikTok Ban In US Likely To Take Effect This Weekend As Supeme Court Rejects Appeal

TikTok Ban In US Likely To Take Effect This Weekend As Supeme Court Rejects Appeal

The Supreme Court has upheld a contentious ban on TikTok, citing national security concerns over its ties to China, despite the app's widespread popularity among 170 million Americans. The decision, which allows the ban to take effect on Sunday, raises critical questions about its enforcement and broader implications.

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TikTok Ban In US Likely To Take Effect This Weekend As Supeme Court Rejects Appeal

The Supreme Court has upheld a contentious ban on TikTok, citing national security concerns over its ties to China.


The Supreme Court ruled on Friday to uphold a controversial ban on TikTok, rejecting the app’s owners’ appeal that argued the measure violated First Amendment rights. The unsigned opinion was issued without any noted dissents, allowing the ban to take effect on Sunday.

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The decision follows warnings from the Biden administration that TikTok’s ties to China pose a “grave” national security threat. However, uncertainties remain about how the ban will be enforced, as the U.S. government has no precedent for blocking a major social media platform.

National Security Concerns Regarding TikTok’s Data Collection Practices

In its opinion, the court acknowledged TikTok’s popularity among 170 million Americans, describing it as “a distinctive and expansive outlet for expression, means of engagement, and source of community.” Nonetheless, the justices deferred to Congress, which had prioritized national security concerns in drafting the legislation.

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“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,” the court wrote.

Trump Responds On TikTok Ban: “I’ll Be Making the Decision”

The ruling shifts focus to President-elect Donald Trump, who told CNN, “It ultimately goes up to me, so you’re going to see what I’m going to do.”

Asked whether he would take steps to reverse the ban, Trump said, “Congress has given me the decision, so I’ll be making the decision.” He also confirmed having a conversation with Chinese President Xi Jinping, describing it as a “great talk about TikTok and a great talk about many other subjects.”

The court noted Trump’s prior attempts to ban TikTok, citing his concerns that the platform “automatically captures vast swaths of information from its users” and could be exploited to further the interests of the Chinese government.

Biden Administration Defers TikTok Ban Enforcement

With President Joe Biden set to take office on Monday, his administration has signaled that enforcement of the ban will fall to Trump’s administration. TikTok, meanwhile, has stated that the platform may “go dark” when the ban takes effect.

“President Biden’s position on TikTok has been clear for months,” said White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre. “TikTok should remain available to Americans but under American ownership or other ownership that addresses the national security concerns identified by Congress in developing this law.”

Jean-Pierre added that given the timing, actions to implement the ban “must fall to the next administration.”

TikTok CEO’s Role in Trump Inauguration

TikTok CEO Shou Chew is expected to attend Trump’s inauguration, seated alongside other leading tech executives. His presence may signal the incoming administration’s seriousness about resolving the platform’s fate.

Some lawmakers have suggested extending the ban to give TikTok more time to secure a buyer. The current law allows a 90-day extension if significant progress is demonstrated, but TikTok’s parent company, ByteDance, has maintained publicly that the app is not for sale.

“It’s all about the money. If the price is right, the Chinese will sell it,” said Democratic Senator Richard Blumenthal of Connecticut.

Republican Senator Josh Hawley agreed, noting that China is obstructing the app’s sale to a U.S. buyer. “It’s entirely up to Beijing. I mean, there are willing buyers,” he said.

Court Highlights Data Collection and Security Risks

The ruling heavily emphasizes concerns over TikTok’s extensive data collection practices.

“The platform collects extensive personal information from and about its users,” the court stated, aligning with the Biden administration’s arguments that such data could be exploited by the Chinese government for blackmail or content manipulation.

TikTok did not dispute the government’s claim of a significant interest in preventing data collection by foreign adversaries.

“Data collection and analysis is a common practice in this digital age,” the court wrote. “But TikTok’s scale and susceptibility to foreign adversary control, together with the vast swaths of sensitive data the platform collects, justify differential treatment to address the Government’s national security concerns.”

Justices Gorsuch and Sotomayor Offer Perspectives

Justice Neil Gorsuch, in a concurring opinion, expressed “serious reservations” about the court’s level of scrutiny applied to the law but agreed that even under stricter standards, the government had met its burden.

“Speaking with and in favor of a foreign adversary is one thing. Allowing a foreign adversary to spy on Americans is another,” he wrote.

Justice Sonia Sotomayor also concurred but emphasized that the case undoubtedly implicated First Amendment issues. “The court’s line of cases dealing with the First Amendment leaves no doubt that it does,” she stated.

A Narrow but Significant Ruling

The court acknowledged the “inherent narrowness” of its decision, noting that it applies specifically to TikTok’s unique circumstances and connection to a foreign adversary.

“We should take care not to ‘embarrass the future,’” the justices wrote, referencing an 80-year-old case that grappled with applying legal rules to emerging technologies like airplanes and radios.

Also Read: Will Joe Biden Save TikTok From Getting Banned? Outgoing POTUS Trying To Keep App Alive In US


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