US Supreme Court to Review TikTok's Appeal on Ownership Ban
Click to start listening
New York, Dec 19 (NationPress) The US Supreme Court has provided TikTok with a temporary reprieve on Wednesday by agreeing to review its appeal concerning the law that requires the app to divest its Chinese ownership.
The court has expedited the appeal, scheduling a hearing for January 9, just 10 days before the law enacted by Congress is set to take effect.
While the court did not issue a pause on the law, it has consented to examine the case, leaving the door open for the appeal to be dismissed, upheld, or temporarily suspended for further review.
TikTok, which is owned by the Chinese firm ByteDance, escalated the matter to the Supreme Court after an appeals court ruled against its assertion that the law infringes on the First Amendment rights of free speech.
The justification provided by Congress for mandating the company to abandon its Chinese ownership or face a ban was centered on national security, a rationale that the appeals court acknowledged.
This legislation received backing from both the Democratic and Republican parties.
Lawmakers and President Joe Biden's administration have highlighted potential national security threats, citing concerns that the Chinese government could access personal data from the app's 120 million American users and potentially utilize TikTok for propaganda.
In 2020, India imposed a ban on TikTok along with 58 other applications due to similar national security apprehensions.
Interestingly, while the company seeks protection under the First Amendment of the US Constitution, China itself prohibits TikTok as well as other US social media platforms like Facebook and YouTube.
The impending ban is scheduled to take effect two days prior to Donald Trump's inauguration as President.
Although he was the one to initiate the ban during his first term, his stance appears to have softened.
In response to national security concerns, he issued an order in 2020 for TikTok to be sold or face a ban. Despite interest from several buyers, a court intervened and paused that order.
Congress intervened and enacted the law, bypassing the court's ruling.
While US social media platforms sought to censor Trump, TikTok has allowed him unfettered access, leading him to express a favorable opinion.
"You know, I have a warm spot in my heart for TikTok," he commented during a press briefing on Monday.
He acknowledged the app's appeal among younger audiences, stating, "TikTok had an impact, so we're taking a look at it."
He recently met with TikTok CEO Shou Zi Chew at his Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida.
If the Supreme Court validates the ban, Trump would not have the authority to overturn it, as that power lies solely with Congress.
Nevertheless, he could request that the Justice Department adopts a lenient approach toward the ban's enforcement.
According to the legislation approved in April and signed by Biden, app platforms such as Google and Apple will be prohibited from offering TikTok in the US, and internet hosting services must cease support for the app starting on January 19.
Failure to comply could result in fines totaling billions of dollars, with penalties reaching $5,000 for each user who retains access to TikTok.
