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TikTok BAN Upheld By U.S. Supreme Court — Goes Into Effect On Sunday (19th January, 2025)

UPDATE (19/01/25): TikTok was not available for users in the U.S. from as early as Saturday night (18th January, 2025) as the ban officially went into effect. The app has been removed from Apple and Google’s App Stores in the U.S., making it unavailable to download.

TikTok greeted users opening the app with the message, “Sorry, TikTok isn't available right now. A law banning TikTok has been enacted in the U.S. Unfortunately, that means you can't use TikTok for now. We are fortunate that President Trump has indicated that he will work with us on a solution to reinstate TikTok once he takes office. Please stay tuned!”

The message then prompted users to close the app or learn more. On the website landing page, the message had an additional line informing users that they could still log in to download their data.
UPDATE: “TikTok evacuees” have flocked to another Chinese-owned app, Xiaohongshu (RedNote in English), skyrocketing it to the top free app in the Apple App Store. The app functions like a cross between Instagram, TikTok, and Pinterest, and boasts over 300 million monthly active users, considerably below the user base of TikTok.

Xiaohongshu is operated by Xingyin Information Technology Limited, which is based in Shanghai and owned by billionaire entrepreneurs, Charlwin Mao and Miranda Qu.

Launched in 2013, RedNote is one of the most popular apps in China. It is valued at over $3 billion and has raised nearly $1 billion in venture funding, according to TechCrunch.
 
The United States Supreme Court upheld a federal law today (Friday 17th January, 2025) on national security grounds, that would effectively ban TikTok, the hugely-popular Chinese-owned social media platform, just two (2) days before the bipartisan divestiture law is slated to take effect — on Sunday (19th January, 2025). This is a major blow to a platform used by nearly half of all Americans.

Summary:
  • Under law, TikTok would be sold or banned by Sunday;
  • Law was passed on national security grounds;
  • TikTok cites constitutional free speech safeguards.

The Justices in the case unanimously ruled that the law, passed by an overwhelming bipartisan majority in Congress last year and signed by Democratic President Joe Biden, did not violate the U.S. Constitution's First Amendment protection against Government abridgment of free speech. The Justices affirmed a Lower Court's decision that had upheld the measure after it was challenged by TikTok, ByteDance (TikTok’s Chinese parent company) and some of the app's users.

​TikTok plans to shut U.S. operations of the app on Sunday, barring a last-minute reprieve.

“There is no doubt that, for more than 170 million Americans, TikTok offers a distinctive and expansive outlet for expression, means of engagement, and source of community,” the Court wrote in the unsigned ruling. “But 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. For the foregoing reasons, we conclude that the challenged provisions do not violate petitioners’ First Amendment rights. The judgment of the United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit is affirmed.”

There were no noted dissents in the ruling.

At issue was the Protecting Americans from Foreign Adversary Controlled Applications Act, a law passed by Congress in April 2024, with wide bipartisan support. The law gave TikTok nine (9) months to either divest from its Chinese parent company, ByteDance, or be removed from U.S.-based app stores and hosting services.

In passing the law, Congress cited concerns over the app's Chinese ownership, which members said meant the app had the potential to be weaponized or used to amass vast amounts of user data, including from the roughly 170 million Americans who use TikTok.

TikTok, ByteDance and several users of the app swiftly sued to block the ban in May 2024, arguing the legislation would suppress free speech for the millions of Americans who use the platform. After a Lower Court upheld the ban, the Supreme Court agreed to hear TikTok's emergency request to either block or pause implementation of the law under a fast-track timeline, just nine (9) days before the ban was slated to go into effect.

President-elect Donald Trump responded on Friday to the Supreme Court decision, which comes just days before his Inauguration on Monday (20th January, 2025): “The Supreme Court decision was expected, and everyone must respect it. My decision on TikTok will be made in the not too distant future, but I must have time to review the situation. Stay tuned!” As President, Trump could move to delay the law, either by not enforcing it vigorously — which would allow TikTok more time to find a buyer, or continue operating as-is — or take other actions that would uphold the status quo.

Earlier on Friday, Trump said he spoke by phone with Chinese President Xi Jinping, hours before the Supreme Court decision was published. Trump described the conversation between the two (2) leaders as being “a very good one,” both for China and the U.S. He noted that the two (2) had discussed shared interests, including TikTok.

Trump has also invited TikTok CEO Shou Chew to attend his Inauguration on Monday, and Chew has since confirmed he plans to attend.

TikTok is one of the most prominent social media platforms in the United States, used by roughly half the country's population, including many young people. TikTok's powerful algorithm, its main asset, feeds individual users short videos tailored to their liking. The platform presents a vast collection of user-submitted videos, often under a minute in duration, that can be viewed with a smart phone app or on the internet.

More on this as it becomes available.

This is a developing story - refresh this page for updates.

​[Source: Fox News] 

 

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