{"id":55715,"date":"2025-01-18T03:37:41","date_gmt":"2025-01-18T03:37:41","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/innodebt.com\/?p=55715"},"modified":"2025-01-18T03:37:42","modified_gmt":"2025-01-18T03:37:42","slug":"us-supreme-court-upholds-divest-or-ban-law-targeting-tiktok","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/innodebt.com\/?p=55715","title":{"rendered":"US Supreme Court upholds divest-or-ban law targeting TikTok"},"content":{"rendered":"
\n

The US Supreme Court has upheld a divest-or-ban law targeting TikTok, leaving the video app warning of an imminent blackout for its 170mn US users and putting its fate in the hands of president-elect Donald Trump.<\/p>\n

The law compels TikTok\u2019s Chinese parent ByteDance to sell the platform by January 19 \u2014 the day before Trump returns as US president \u2014 or face a nationwide ban.<\/p>\n

\u201cThere is no doubt that, for more than 170mn Americans, TikTok offers a distinctive and expansive outlet for expression, means of engagement, and source of community,\u201d the Supreme Court wrote in a unanimous opinion published on Friday. <\/p>\n

\u201cBut Congress has determined that divestiture is necessary to address its well-supported national security concerns regarding TikTok\u2019s data collection practices and relationship with a foreign adversary,\u201d it added.<\/p>\n

Following the ruling, Joe Biden\u2019s administration said the outgoing president would not enforce the ban during his remaining days in office. <\/p>\n

\u201cGiven the sheer fact of timing, this administration recognises that actions to implement the law simply must fall to the next administration, which takes office on Monday,\u201d the White House said.<\/p>\n

But TikTok late on Friday said statements from the White House as well as from the Department of Justice had \u201cfailed to provide the necessary clarity and assurance to the service providers that are integral to maintaining TikTok\u2019s availability\u201d in the US. <\/p>\n

It added: \u201cUnless the Biden administration immediately provides a definitive statement to satisfy the most critical service providers assuring non-enforcement, unfortunately TikTok will be forced to go dark on January 19.\u201d<\/p>\n

Under the terms of the law, without a sale, it will be unlawful for companies to provide services to distribute or host the video app, or they will face fines of $5,000 per user. <\/p>\n

It remains unclear whether tech groups such as Apple, Google and Oracle, which offer such services to TikTok in the US, would take the risk of continuing to partner with the company over the weekend. It is also unclear whether the app could also take itself offline deliberately, to protect its partners. <\/p>\n

Apple, Google and Oracle did not respond to requests for comment.<\/p>\n

Trump said in a post on Truth Social after the ruling that his \u201cdecision on TikTok will be made in the not too distant future, but I must have time to review the situation\u201d, adding that the court\u2019s decision was \u201cexpected, and everyone must respect it\u201d. <\/p>\n

In a video posted on TikTok following the court\u2019s decision, the group\u2019s chief executive Shou Zi Chew gave no reassurances on whether the app would continue to function in the US on Sunday, but lavished Trump with praise. <\/p>\n

\u201cI want to thank president Trump for his commitment to work with us to find a solution that keeps TikTok available in the United States. This is a strong stand for the First Amendment and against arbitrary censorship,\u201d he said, adding the president-elect \u201ctruly understands\u201d the platform. <\/p>\n

US attorney-general Merrick Garland said the court\u2019s decision \u201cenables the justice department to prevent the Chinese government from weaponising TikTok to undermine America\u2019s national security\u201d. <\/p>\n

Deputy US attorney-general Lisa Monaco said the \u201cnext phase of this effort \u2014 implementing and ensuring compliance with the law after it goes into effect on January 19 \u2014 will be a process that plays out over time\u201d.<\/p>\n

TikTok has said any spin-off would be technologically unfeasible, while Beijing has indicated it would oppose any sale.<\/p>\n

The court\u2019s ruling was handed down shortly after Trump on Friday said he had discussed TikTok on a call with China\u2019s President Xi Jinping. It was the first call between the leaders in four years. <\/p>\n

The Supreme Court\u2019s ruling upholds one of the boldest legislative moves of Biden\u2019s term just days before the Democratic president leaves the White House. <\/p>\n

On Thursday, Trump\u2019s incoming national security adviser Mike Waltz said the legislation \u201callows for an extension as long as a viable deal is on the table. Essentially that buys president Trump time to keep TikTok going\u201d.<\/p>\n

Chinese officials have held preliminary discussions about whether billionaire Elon Musk \u2014 now a close ally of Trump \u2014 could broker a deal for the app\u2019s sale, the Financial Times reported this week. <\/p>\n

Some potential buyers and partners have been circling and lobbying Trump. These include Frank McCourt, an American media and sports businessman, who has established a consortium of investors that would bid for TikTok through his non-profit entity, Project Liberty.<\/p>\n

TikTok chief Chew has mounted a charm offensive to cement Trump\u2019s backing, including plans to attend a \u201cvictory rally\u201d for the president-elect in Washington on Sunday and his inauguration on Monday, said two people familiar with the matter.<\/p>\n

Concerns Beijing could use the app for espionage or to spread propaganda spurred the law, which was passed with strong bipartisan support last year.<\/p>\n

Even though China \u201chas not yet leveraged its relationship with ByteDance Ltd to access US TikTok users\u2019 data\u201d, the top court said, there was \u201cno basis for concluding that the government\u2019s determination that China might do so is not at least a \u2018reasonable inferenc[e] based on substantial evidence\u2019.\u201d<\/p>\n

TikTok asked the Supreme Court to hear its case after a US appeals court rejected its challenge to the law, as well as its subsequent request to halt the measure pending further court proceedings.<\/p>\n

The company sought to throw out the law by arguing it was unconstitutional and it violated First Amendment protections for free speech.<\/p>\n

Additional reporting by Aime Williams<\/em> in Washington and Stephen Morris and Michael Acton in San Francisco<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

Read the full article here<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

The US Supreme Court has upheld a divest-or-ban law targeting TikTok, leaving the video app warning of an imminent blackout for its 170mn US users and putting its fate in the hands of president-elect Donald Trump. The law compels TikTok\u2019s Chinese parent ByteDance to sell the platform by January 19 \u2014 the day before Trump […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":55716,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"content-type":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[23],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-55715","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-business"},"yoast_head":"\nUS Supreme Court upholds divest-or-ban law targeting TikTok | Innodebt<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"The US Supreme Court has upheld a divest-or-ban law targeting TikTok, leaving the video app warning of an imminent blackout for its 170mn US users and\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/innodebt.com\/?p=55715\" \/>\n<meta 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