The Supreme Court has made its official decision regarding the TikTok ban. It has been almost a week since the nine Supreme Court Justices heard oral arguments for and against the ban, leaving millions of users confused regarding the current state of the beloved app. Key figures in this debate include the Solicitor General, Elizabeth Prelogar, representing Congress, and TikTok attorneys Noel Francisco and Jeffery Fisher.
Arguments presented in the “TikTok, Inc. v. Garland” case raised concerns about the “No TikTok on United States Devices Act” passed by Congress in 2024. Thus, Nine days before the official banning of TikTok on Jan. 19th, the Supreme Court must clarify whether the potential national security threats override our First Amendment protections.
The Supreme Court today, at approximately noon on Jan. 17th, ruled in favor of Congress, expressing that the banning of TikTok does not impeach nor encroach on our First Amendment freedoms.
This ruling is a direct result of the serious national security concerns many Americans face, as users continue to interact with the app. Furthermore, TikTok’s parent company, ByteDance, a China-based corporation, failed to begin the process of divesting to a U.S.-based company. Thus per the rules and regulations set out in “No TikTok on United States Devices Act,” The ban will take effect on Jan. 19, effectively banning TikTok in the United States.
Despite the ruling TikTok is still fighting to operate in America without the need for the divestiture of their app or algorithm. Shou Zi Chew, TikTok CEO released a video after the ruling to reassure TikTok users.
In addition, Chew also talks about a potential partnership with President-elect Donald Trump.
“On behalf of everyone at Tiktok and all our users across the country, I want to thank President-elect Trump for his commitment to work with us to find a solution that keeps Tiktok available in the United States. This is a strong stand for the First Amendment and against arbitrary censorship,” said Chew.
Thus, the TikTok debates continue. President Joe Biden has left the enforcement of the TikTok banning bill to the discretion of the Trump administration. With President-elect Trump’s official inauguration into the White House on Jan. 20, a day after the ban is set to take effect, there might be presidential powers Trump may use to halt Congress’s ban.