Supreme Court Continues TikTok Ban Putting App’s Survival in Trump’s Hands

On January 17, 2025, the U.S. Supreme Court unanimously upheld a federal law mandating that TikTok’s Chinese parent company, ByteDance, must divest its ownership by January 19 or face a nationwide ban. This decision stems from bipartisan concerns over national security, particularly regarding data collection practices and potential influence by the Chinese government.

The law, enacted in April 2024 and signed by President Joe Biden, requires ByteDance to sell TikTok to a non-Chinese entity. Failure to do so would prohibit U.S. companies from distributing or updating the app, effectively rendering it inaccessible over time. Despite the impending deadline, ByteDance has resisted selling, citing technical challenges and potential opposition from Beijing.

President-elect Donald Trump has indicated a desire to address the situation upon taking office on January 20. In a brief filed with the Supreme Court, Trump’s legal team expressed opposition to the ban at this time, requesting an opportunity to resolve the issue through political negotiations. Trump’s national security adviser appointee, Mike Waltz, mentioned that the incoming administration is exploring options to keep TikTok operational in the U.S. while addressing security concerns.

TikTok’s CEO, Shou Zi Chew, has expressed optimism about reaching a resolution that allows the platform to continue serving its 170 million American users. However, without a timely divestiture or intervention from the incoming administration, tech companies like Apple and Google may be compelled to remove TikTok from their app stores to comply with the law, leading to significant disruptions for users and content creators.

As the situation develops, all eyes are on the incoming Trump administration to determine the future of TikTok in the UnitedStates.