The US Supreme Court upholds the law blocking the app

The US Supreme Court has upheld a law banning TikTok in America unless its China-based parent company ByteDance sells the platform by Sunday.

TikTok has challenged the law, arguing that it violates free speech protections for the more than 170 million users it says it has in the United States.

But that argument was unanimously rejected by the country’s highest court, meaning TikTok must now find an approved buyer for the US version of the app or face removal from app stores and web hosting services.

The White House said that implementing the law rests with the administration of incoming President Donald Trump, which takes office on Monday. Trump previously said he would find a way to save the app.

Both Democratic and Republican lawmakers voted to ban the video-sharing app last year, over concerns about its links to the Chinese government. TikTok has repeatedly stated that it does not share information with Beijing.

The law gives ByteDance, the owner of TikTok, until January 19 to sell the American version of the platform to a neutral party to avoid a total ban.

This means that as of Sunday, Apple and Google will no longer offer the app to new users or provide any security updates to existing users, which could eventually lead to it being shut down.

ByteDance has pledged not to sell TikTok.

The Supreme Court ruled without dissenting opinions that the law did not violate the protections provided by the First Amendment to the US Constitution against government restrictions on freedom of expression.

The justices affirmed the lower court’s decision that upheld the measure after ByteDance objected to it.

“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 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.”

After the Supreme Court ruling, White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said in a statement that President Joe Biden’s position on TikTok had been clear for months: “TikTok should remain available to Americans, but simply under U.S. ownership or other ownership that addresses the TikTok problem.” . National security concerns identified by Congress in developing this law.”

The president added that this was due to “the reality of the timing.” He added, “Measures to implement the law should simply fall to the next administration, which will take office on Monday.”

“Ultimately it’s up to me, so you’ll see what I do,” Trump told CNN on Friday.

And also revealed On his social media platform Truth Social he spoke to Chinese President Xi Jinping and discussed TikTok among other issues.

In December, he said he liked the app because it helped him attract young voters in the 2024 election.

Trump’s comments represent a complete reversal from his position during his first term as president When he aimed to enact a similar ban Through executive order.

Cybersecurity companies have suggested that the app is capable of collecting user data beyond what they look at on TikTok.

China enacted a law in 2017 requiring Chinese citizens living abroad to cooperate with its intelligence services.

But Beijing denied that it was putting pressure on companies to collect information on their behalf and criticized the ban. TikTok has repeatedly stressed that it was not asked for its data.

The moves came at a time of growing concern in the United States about Chinese espionage, with TikTok downplaying the ban imposed on federal agencies and calling it “political theater.”