Official announcements from ByteDance, TikTok, and major news outlets.

Supreme Court Poised to Uphold TikTok Ban Over National Security Concerns Unless Sold by Jan. 19

Jan 10, 2025, 05:24 PM

On January 9-10, 2025, the U.S. Supreme Court heard oral arguments over a law passed in April 2024 that could ban TikTok in the United States unless it is sold by its Chinese parent company, ByteDance, by January 19. TikTok, which has approximately 170 million U.S. users, argues that the law violates the First Amendment rights of American users. The law, citing national security concerns over potential access to American user data by the Chinese government, would prohibit app stores from offering TikTok and bar internet hosting services from hosting the app if TikTok isn't sold to an approved buyer. TikTok announced it plans to shut down its U.S. operations on January 19 unless the Supreme Court strikes down or delays the law requiring its sale. During the hearings, Supreme Court justices expressed skepticism toward TikTok's arguments, suggesting they may uphold the ban unless TikTok is divested from ByteDance. The case raises significant issues regarding the balance between free speech rights and national security.