The Supreme Court unanimously ruled in favor of a federal ban on TikTok, citing national security concerns. The Justice Department and several U.S. lawmakers have labeled the app as a spying and propaganda tool for the Chinese Communist Party. This decision affects TikTok's 170 million American users, leaving the app's future dependent on President-elect Donald Trump. Trump, who credited the app with aiding his November victory, has vowed to "save" it. The ruling requires ByteDance, TikTok's Chinese-owned parent company, to divest its stake by January 19 or face a national ban.
The ban mandates that Google and Apple cease allowing new downloads of TikTok through their app stores or risk a $5,000 fine per user. Despite the court's decision, existing users could continue to access the app temporarily, although without updates or support, leading to a gradual decline in service quality. The Supreme Court's ruling on Friday set off widespread anticipation of the app's shutdown.
In response to the court's decision, TikTok CEO Shou Zi Chew expressed gratitude to President-elect Trump and hinted at a potential solution in a video released shortly thereafter. Meanwhile, Trump indicated to NBC News on Saturday that he might grant TikTok a 90-day extension to negotiate a deal.
"The Supreme Court decision was expected, and everyone must respect it," said Trump.
White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre dismissed TikTok's plan to go offline as a "stunt." Additionally, Oracle, which provides cloud computing services for TikTok, might also face legal repercussions due to the ban.
"Sorry for your loss of TikTok," remarked author Carol Roth.
TikTok has strongly denied accusations of serving as a spying and propaganda tool for the Chinese Communist Party. President-elect Trump is reportedly considering issuing an executive order to delay the enforcement of the law, which could offer TikTok additional time to resolve the situation.
"My decision on TikTok will be made in the not too distant future, but I must have time to review the situation. Stay tuned!" Trump stated.
The ban has sparked significant public discourse, with many users expressing their dissatisfaction over social media platforms.
"Violating our right to free speech over hypotheticals that have never happened is gonna be the next war cry of the revolution," commented one user.
"170 million americans use tiktok which is over half the country. #scotus better rethink this. Leave us alone," another user stated emphatically.
The controversy surrounding TikTok highlights broader geopolitical tensions between the United States and China. It also underscores the complexities of balancing national security with digital freedom in a globally connected world.
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