U.S. Supreme Court Confirms Law on Possible TikTok Ban

The U.S. Supreme Court has upheld a law that allows the banning of TikTok if it is not separated from the Chinese company ByteDance. The law, passed by Congress last year and signed by President Joe Biden in April 2024, will take effect on January 19, coinciding with Donald Trump’s inauguration., as reported by NewsBox.

American lawmakers believe that TikTok poses a threat to national security because it may share user data with the Chinese government. TikTok representatives, challenging the law in court, claimed that it violates the First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution, which guarantees freedom of speech, and pointed to the speculative nature of the evidence presented, according to DW.

Chinese officials had previously considered selling the platform to Elon Musk in case the ban took effect. Donald Trump, urging the Supreme Court to postpone a decision on the law until the new administration takes office, emphasized the need to address urgent questions regarding the issues at hand.

It is worth noting that during his first presidential term, Donald Trump also attempted to ban TikTok, citing risks to national security. He expressed concerns about potential access by Chinese authorities to American user data and the possibility of content manipulation. However, after the election victory late last year, his rhetoric regarding the platform softened. At a press conference on December 16, Trump stated, "I won among young voters by 34 points. They say there’s some sort of favor for TikTok in this."