President-elect Donald Trump is asking the Supreme Court to put the brakes on a looming TikTok ban. Without intervention, ByteDance, the app’s Chinese owner, must sell TikTok or see it removed from U.S. app stores on January 19, one day before Trump is sworn in as president.
The Supreme Court is set to hear arguments on January 10 about the law driving the ban, the Protecting Americans from Foreign Adversary Controlled Applications Act. ByteDance argues the law violates constitutional protections, while Trump’s lawyers claim the timing disrupts his ability to handle foreign policy.
In their filing, Trump’s team highlights his social media presence as evidence of his ability to evaluate TikTok’s significance. Trump, with 14.7 million TikTok followers, is described as “one of the most powerful, prolific, and influential users of social media in history.” The brief also emphasizes his “dealmaking expertise” and claims he is uniquely qualified to find a political resolution that addresses national security concerns.
This marks a shift from Trump’s earlier stance on TikTok. As president, he sought to ban the app, citing fears that ByteDance could share user data with the Chinese government or manipulate content for propaganda. Recently, Trump has shown more support for TikTok, framing the ban as harmful to free expression and a blow to younger users, a group he credits with helping him during the election.
The TikTok ban has also sparked debates about competition in the social media space. Trump has openly clashed with Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg and has expressed concerns about TikTok’s removal benefiting Meta. ByteDance could delay the ban’s enforcement by showing progress toward selling TikTok, but the app’s future now hinges on the Supreme Court’s ruling.
Civil liberties organizations, including the ACLU and Electronic Frontier Foundation, back ByteDance’s legal challenge, arguing the government has not proven TikTok poses an imminent security threat. Meanwhile, tech giants Google and Apple have been told to prepare to remove TikTok if the ban takes effect.
Reports suggest Trump met with TikTok CEO Shou Zi Chew earlier this month to discuss the app’s situation. Whether the Supreme Court pauses the ban or allows it to proceed, Trump may still influence the outcome through executive actions once he takes office.
Featured Image courtesy of OLIVIER DOULIERY/AFP via Getty Images
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Source: https://digitalmarketreports.com/news/31750/trump-asks-supreme-court-to-pause-looming-tiktok-ban/