The Supreme Court has ruled to uphold the TikTok ban, paving the way for its closure

the supreme court On Friday, it upheld a law requiring China-based ByteDance to divest its ownership of TikTok by Sunday or face off Effective ban From the famous social video application in the United States

ByteDance has so far refused to sell TikTok, which means many US users can Lose access To the application this weekend. The app may still work for those who already have TikTok on their phones, though ByteDance has also threatened to shut down the app.

In a unanimous decision, the Supreme Court sided with the Biden administration and upheld the Protecting Americans from Controlled Foreign Applications Act, which was passed by President Joe Biden I fell In April.

“There is no doubt that TikTok, for more than 170 million Americans, provides a distinctive and broad outlet for expression, a means of engagement, and a resource for community,” the Supreme Court opinion said. “But Congress determined that divestment was necessary to address well-supported national security concerns regarding TikTok’s data collection practices and relationship with a foreign adversary.”

Supreme Court Justices Sonia Sotomayor and Neil Gorsuch wrote the concurrences.

The fate of Tik Tok In the United States it now lies in the hands of the president-elect Donald Trumpwho originally favored banning TikTok during his first administration, but has since reversed that order. In December, Trump he asked Supreme Court to Stop implementing the law and allowing his administration “the opportunity to pursue a political solution to the issues raised in this case.”

Trump wrote in a post on the social media app Truth Social that the decision was expected “and everyone should respect it.”

“My decision on TikTok will be made in the not too distant future, but I should have time to review the situation. Stay tuned!” Trump wrote.

Trump began speaking more positively about TikTok afterward Met in February With billionaire Republican tycoon Jeff Yass. Yas is a major investor in ByteDance and also owns a stake in Malik Social truth.

Trump will be inaugurated on Monday, one day after the TikTok sale deadline. TikTok CEO Xu Qiu He is one of many technology leaders He is expected to be presentsitting on the podium.

In a video posted on TikTok, Chiu thanked Trump “for his commitment to working with us to find a solution that keeps TikTok available” in the United States. Using TikTok is a First Amendment right, he said, adding that more than 7 million American businesses use it. To make money and find clients.

“Rest assured, we will do everything we can to ensure that our platform thrives as your online home for limitless creativity and discovery, as well as a source of inspiration and joy for years to come,” he said.

The nation’s highest court said in the opinion that although “data collection and analysis is a common practice in this digital age,” TikTok’s sheer size and “its susceptibility to control by a foreign adversary, coupled with the vast amounts of sensitive data collected by the platform” It constitutes a national security concern.

Under the provisions of the law, external Internet service providers such as apple and Google They will be penalized for supporting ByteDance-owned TikTok after the January 19 deadline.

If service providers and app store owners comply, consumers will not be able to install the necessary updates that make the app work.

TikTok representatives did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

In December, members of the CPC Select Committee met with the House of Representatives I sent messages to Apple CEO Tim Cook and Google CEO Sundar Pichai, urging executives to start preparing to comply with the law.

On January 10, The Supreme Court heard oral arguments From lawyers representing TikTok, content creators, and the US government. TikTok’s lead lawyer, Noel Francisco, said the law violates the First Amendment rights of the app’s 170 million American users. US Attorney Elizabeth Prelogar said the app’s alleged ties to the Chinese government pose a threat to national security.

Many TikTok creators ask their fans to find them on competing social media platforms like YouTube and Google dead Facebook, Instagram, CNBC I mentioned. Additionally, Instagram leaders scheduled meetings after the Supreme Court hearing on January 10 to direct workers to prepare for a wave of users if the court upholds the law.

Chinese social media app and TikTok-like app RedNote has risen to the top from Apple’s App Store on Monday, suggesting that millions of TikTok users were looking for alternatives.

The Chinese government also weighed a Emergency plan That would have owner X Elon Musk The acquisition of TikTok’s US operations is part of several options aimed at preventing the app from being effectively banned in the US, Bloomberg News said I mentioned Monday.

If ByteDance decides to sell TikTok to a US company or group of investors, potential buyers may have to pay between… $40 billion and $50 billionaccording to the discretion of CFRA Senior Vice President of Research Angelo Zino.

He watches: SCOTUS hears TikTok ban case