US supreme court issues ruling upholding nationwide ban on TikTok
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App will become unavailable in the US on 19 January, unless Trump directs justice department not to enforce the law. The US supreme court has issued a ruling upholding a nationwide ban on TikTok. The nine justices voted unanimously in a 17 January decision that sides with the majority of US Congress and the US Department of Justice that the hugely popular social media app is a threat to US national security.
“We conclude that the challenged provisions do not violate petitioners’ First Amendment rights,” the justices wrote. “The judgment of the United States court of appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit is affirmed.” In December, a Washington DC appeals court upheld the ban.
This means TikTok, which is used by 170 million people in the US, will no longer be available for download in app stores starting on 19 January. “There is no doubt that, for more than 170 million Americans, TikTok offers a distinctive and expansive outlet for expression, means of engagement, and source of community. But Congress has determined that divestiture is necessary to address its well-supported national security concerns regarding TikTok’s data collection practices and relationship with a foreign adversary,” the ruling reads.
The lawmakers who pushed for the ban say that TikTok, which is owned by the Chinese company ByteDance, has the potential to be used as a weapon by the Chinese Communist party. They say China could use the app to manipulate and control Americans by spreading propaganda and misinformation. The supreme court ultimately agreed.
