After the U.S. Supreme Court decided to uphold the ban on TikTok, CEO Shou Chew made a video message to express the company’s position and to thank former President Donald Trump for his support in keeping TikTok available in the United States.
The Court’s decision to support the federal government’s right to potentially shut down the platform on national security grounds has raised major concerns about the future of the popular app in the U.S.
US Supreme Court Upholds TikTok Ban
The U.S. Supreme Court has ruled on Friday that the federal government has a legal right to ban TikTok in the United States if ByteDance, the Chinese parent company of the app, doesn’t sell it. The move was made against the backdrop of continuous concerns related to data privacy and the fact that the social media platform was connected to China, which ignited the fears regarding national security threats.
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The Court stressed that the ban did not violate the First Amendment rights of the user, stating, “We conclude that the challenged provisions do not violate the petitioners’ First Amendment rights,” as CBS News reports.
This decision comes after years of pressure from U.S. lawmakers who argue that TikTok’s data collection practices and its connection to a foreign government pose a security threat. The Court recognized that while TikTok serves over 170 million Americans and offers a significant platform for expression, the government’s interest in national security outweighed the potential suppression of free speech.
Shou Chew’s Video Message To U.S. Users
Immediately, after the Court ruling, Shou Chew, TikTok’s CEO took to social media to address the situation and reassure TikTok’s millions of American users. According to Chew in his video message, “The constitutional right to free speech has to be defended for the millions of Americans who engage with TikTok daily.”.
“We are fighting to protect the constitutional right to free speech for more than 170 million Americans who use TikTok every day,” Chew said in his message. He also expressed gratitude towards former President Donald Trump, thanking him for his “commitment” to working with the company in an attempt to keep the platform operational in the U.S.
“We are thankful and happy to have the endorsement of a president who really gets our message—one who himself has used TikTok to share his own opinions and views, to reach out to the world, and to gain over 60 billion views for his posts, Chew said of Trump’s history on the platform.
While TikTok is still being faced with mounting legal challenges in the U.S., the Court’s ruling has further heightened the debate on the future of the app. According to CBS News, the Court’s decision pointed to the importance of national security while acknowledging TikTok’s role in providing Americans with a unique means of engagement and expression.
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 in its ruling.
However, even as TikTok has a significant number of users, the decision to ban the app underscores concerns in the government that relate to its data collection methods. “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 said. This marks one of the many steps towards safeguarding American user data from any potential security breaches.
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