Official announcements from ByteDance or news reports

Supreme Court to Hear TikTok Ban Challenge Amid National Security and Free Speech Clash

Jan 9, 2025, 09:58 PM

The U.S. Supreme Court is set to hear arguments on Friday over a federal law signed by President Joe Biden in April that requires TikTok, owned by Chinese company ByteDance, to be sold by January 19 or face a nationwide ban due to national security concerns. TikTok is suing to block the law, citing free speech rights, and has announced plans to shut down its U.S. operations on January 19 unless the Supreme Court blocks or delays the ban. The case pits national security concerns against free speech rights, with the fate of the popular social media platform, used by roughly half of the U.S. population, hanging in the balance.