"TikTok Ban Looms After Supreme Court Denial"

A TikTok ban is set to go into effect on Sunday, January 19, following the U.S. Supreme Court's unanimous rejection of the platform's appeal. The Court expressed skepticism about TikTok's First Amendment challenge, emphasizing the unique scale and potential for foreign adversary control as reasons for the ban.

The justices noted that while data collection is common in the digital age, "TikTok’s scale and susceptibility to foreign adversary control, together with the vast swaths of sensitive data the platform collects, justify differential treatment to address the Government’s national security concerns."

TikTok may go dark in the U.S. on Sunday. Photo by Dominika Zarzycka/NurPhoto via Getty Images.

Without political intervention, TikTok is poised to cease operations in the U.S. on Sunday. White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre stated that President Biden believes TikTok should remain available in the U.S., but under American ownership. However, the implementation of the ban will fall to the incoming administration of President-elect Donald Trump, who will be sworn in on Monday.

The Supreme Court's ruling highlighted that, while TikTok serves as a significant platform for expression and community for over 170 million Americans, "Congress has determined that divestiture is necessary to address its well-supported national security concerns regarding TikTok’s data collection practices and relationship with a foreign adversary." The Court concluded that the challenged provisions do not infringe on petitioners' First Amendment rights.

Trump, who has previously opposed a TikTok ban, may issue an executive order to delay its enforcement for 60 to 90 days upon taking office. On Truth Social, Trump mentioned ongoing discussions with Chinese President Xi Jinping about the ban, among other issues.

It remains uncertain whether China would agree to a full sale of TikTok to a Western buyer, but reports suggest this is a viable option. Elon Musk, involved with the incoming Trump administration, is reportedly being considered as a potential intermediary for interested Western businesses or figures, or might even attempt to purchase TikTok himself.

In response to the looming ban, TikTok users have migrated to the Chinese app Red Note (Xiaohongshu), which has seen an influx of over 700,000 new users in just two days, according to Reuters.

The future of TikTok in the U.S. hinges on finding a new buyer or facing a complete shutdown, unless the Trump administration intervenes with an executive order to alter the course.