Is TikTok getting banned? Supreme Court decide fate of platform ahead of looming deadline
Popular social media app TikTok has federal and state lawsuits pending against them.
On Jan. 10, the Supreme Court will hear arguments regarding whether a law requiring TikTok to be sold or face a ban in the U.S. violates the First Amendment.
Last April, President Joe Biden signed a law that would ban the Chinese-owned app unless it is sold within a year. ByteDance, the parent company that owns TikTok, said it will not sell its app.
Lawmakers enacted the ban due to concerns about ByteDance's connections to China, specifically, the fear that they may share American user data with the Chinese government.
A federal appeals court in Washington, DC, unanimously upheld the U.S. ban on TikTok earlier this month. The court ruled that the government has a national security interest in regulating the social media platform.
TikTok filed an emergency application for an injunction. Now that the Supreme Court has decided to listen to the dispute, here is what to understand about the lawsuit and what's at stake.
What is TikTok?
TikTok is a popular social media platform that allows users to create, share, and discover short-form videos, usually set to music or audio clips.
Launched by ByteDance in 2016, it has quickly gained global popularity, especially among younger audiences. Users can make videos ranging from 15 seconds to 10 minutes long, featuring everything from dance routines and lip-syncing to comedy sketches, educational content, and more.
TikTok's algorithm helps personalize the content feed, making it highly engaging and addictive.
What is being argued in the Supreme Court regarding TikTok?
TikTok wants the high court to overturn an appeals court’s ruling that the law’s infringement of the free speech rights of the millions of Americans who use TikTok are justified because of national security concerns.
The U.S. government's primary argument focuses on the extent to which the Chinese company should be permitted to influence the American public and be prevented from spying.
ByteDance is arguing that TikTok users should be allowed to post without limitation. This year, the Supreme Court has heard other arguments regarding private companies that moderate social media platforms and free speech.
When is the TikTok ban deadline?
TikTok has until Jan. 19 to divest from its China-based parent company, one day before President-elect Donald Trump takes office.
Unless ByteDance sells the hugely popular platform by the deadline, it will be banned from app stores and web hosting companies in the U.S.
TikTok had asked the court to decide by Jan. 6 whether it would pause the Jan. 19 deadline because of the time the app stores and web hosting companies need to prepare.
What will happen if the Supreme Court sides with the US?
TikTok users could be forced to go to another app. TikTok has over 150 million American users. A forced sale and ban from app stores wouldn't necessarily mean people would stop using the app. There are similar, U.S.-made apps like Triller, Likee, and Huddles. However, it could take some time for those apps to attract new users.
What did President-elect Donald Trump say about TikTok?
Trump promised during the campaign to “save TikTok” despite having tried to ban it during his first administration.
On Monday, Trump told reporters he has a "warm spot" for TikTok.
“We'll take a look at TikTok,” Trump said in response to a reporter’s question about how he planned to save the platform.