The Supreme Court’s decision could lead to TikTok’s removal from U.S. app stores, impacting millions of users.
Washington: The Supreme Court just made a big call about TikTok. They’ve backed a law that says ByteDance has to sell TikTok by Sunday or it could be banned in the U.S.
So, if ByteDance doesn’t sell, a lot of folks might lose access to TikTok this weekend. If you already have it, you might still use it for now, but there’s talk of shutting it down completely.
This decision is a win for the Biden administration, which pushed for the Protecting Americans from Foreign Adversary Controlled Applications Act. This law was signed by President Biden back in April.
According to the law, companies like Apple and Google could face penalties if they keep supporting TikTok after the deadline. If they comply, TikTok could disappear from app stores, making it impossible for new users to download it or for current users to get updates.
Now, TikTok’s future is in the hands of President-elect Donald Trump. He’s asked the Supreme Court to pause the law so he can figure out a political solution. Trump’s inauguration is set for Monday, just a day after the TikTok sale deadline.
Interestingly, TikTok’s CEO, Shou Chew, is expected to be at the inauguration. In December, some lawmakers even reached out to Apple and Google’s CEOs, urging them to get ready to follow the new law.
Last Friday, the Supreme Court heard arguments from TikTok’s lawyers and the U.S. government. TikTok’s lawyer claimed the law violates the First Amendment rights of its 170 million American users. But the U.S. Solicitor General argued that TikTok’s links to China pose a national security risk.
After hearing the arguments, many legal experts felt the court seemed to lean towards the government’s side regarding TikTok’s ties to China.
Meanwhile, TikTok creators are telling their fans to check them out on other platforms like YouTube and Instagram. Instagram is even prepping for a potential influx of new users if TikTok gets banned.
In fact, a TikTok alternative called RedNote shot to the top of Apple’s app store, showing that users are already looking for other options.
On top of that, there are reports that the Chinese government considered having Elon Musk take over TikTok’s U.S. operations to avoid a ban. This was part of broader talks with the incoming Trump administration.
It’s a lot to take in, and the situation is changing fast!
