Washington, D.C., January 13, 2025 – The U.S. Supreme Court justices are reportedly inclined to uphold a ban on TikTok due to national security issues. Following over two hours of deliberations last week, a majority of the nine judges indicated they might enforce a ban unless TikTok's parent company, ByteDance, divests its U.S. operations by the January 19 deadline.
During the hearing, lawyers for TikTok and content creators argued that the ban infringes on the free speech rights of approximately 170 million users. However, justices expressed concerns regarding ByteDance's alleged connections to the Chinese government. Chief Justice John Roberts questioned whether the court should ignore these ties.
TikTok's attorney, Noel Francisco, stated that the justices recognized the significance of the case and expressed optimism for a favorable outcome. A preliminary decision from the Supreme Court is anticipated soon.
In 2024, President Joe Biden signed legislation mandating ByteDance to sell its U.S. assets, citing national security risks. The House of Representatives initially proposed a six-month divestiture period, later amended to nine months by the Senate. If the ban is enacted, TikTok may be removed from Google and Apple app stores, severely impacting its functionality for existing users.