WASHINGTON, D.C. — The U.S. Supreme Court has ruled in support for a law that could ban TikTok nationwide unless its Chinese parent company, ByteDance, divests from the platform by Sunday, January 19, 2025.
The law, aimed at addressing national security concerns over potential Chinese government access to American user data, has been challenged by TikTok and content creators who argue it violates First Amendment rights. However, during recent oral arguments, the justices focused largely on security risks rather than free speech implications.
TikTok, with about 170 million U.S. users, faces removal from app stores and blocked updates if the ban proceeds. Legal experts say the case highlights the growing legal priority of national security over digital freedom.
Public reactions have been divided, with some supporting the ban over data privacy concerns and others criticizing it as a threat to free expression. Users are already turning to alternative apps as uncertainty looms.
President-elect Donald Trump, set to take office on January 20, has expressed interest in “saving TikTok,” raising questions about how his administration might approach the ban if it goes into effect.
The U.S. Supreme Court on Friday upheld a federal law requiring TikTok’s Chinese parent company, ByteDance, to divest from the popular social media platform or face a nationwide ban, clearing the way for the restriction to take effect on Sunday.
In a per curiam opinion, the Court ruled that the Protecting Americans from Foreign Adversary Controlled Applications Act does not violate the First Amendment, emphasizing that the government’s national security concerns over data privacy outweigh the platform’s free speech claims.
TikTok and a group of content creators argued that the law infringes on users’ rights to free expression. However, the Court found that the law is content-neutral and primarily aimed at preventing China from accessing sensitive data of TikTok’s 170 million U.S. users.
The ruling means that without divestiture by ByteDance, TikTok will be removed from app stores, and updates will be blocked, eventually rendering the app unusable.
President-elect Donald Trump, set to take office Monday, has expressed interest in preventing the ban but faces limited legal options to reverse the ruling.
The Supreme Court’s decision marks a significant moment in the balance between national security and digital free speech in the U.S.