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Supreme Court Considers TikTok's Bid to Avert January 19 Ban Amid Security Concerns

Jan 11, 2025, 03:12 PM

TikTok is making a final plea at the US Supreme Court against an impending ban that could take effect on January 19 if ByteDance, its Chinese owner, does not divest the app. TikTok's lawyer, Noel Francisco, argued that forcing the sale or shutdown of the app violates the First Amendment rights of its approximately 170 million American users. The US government, represented by Solicitor General Elizabeth Prelogar, contends that the ban is necessary due to national security concerns over TikTok's ties to the Chinese government. During oral arguments, some Supreme Court justices appeared likely to uphold the ban and expressed skepticism toward TikTok's free speech claims. Content creators and small businesses that have built their livelihoods on TikTok, particularly through its Shop feature, are bracing for the potential ban and uncertain about where to go next. If the ban goes into effect, TikTok warns it could 'go dark' in the US.