The US Supreme Court has decided to hear TikTok owner ByteDance’s appeal of a law that could potentially ban the app. The court handled the application extraordinarily quickly, placing the case on its agenda just two days after the file was submitted. The law in question will come into force on January 19. Although the Supreme Court announced that it accepted the case, it did not decide to temporarily suspend the law. The first hearing for TikTok is planned to be held on January 10.
The law in question, the Protecting Americans from Foreign Adversary Controlled Practices Act, requires TikTok to be banned in the United States. The law includes provisions that will block the use of the application if ByteDance does not sell TikTok to an American company. The bill, signed by President Joe Biden in April, was accepted by a large majority in Congress.
The main justification for the law is based on the claim that TikTok poses a threat to US national security. In defending the law, the Justice Department expressed concern that the Chinese government could interfere with ByteDance and collect data on American citizens. The US Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit approved the law earlier this month and rejected ByteDance’s appeal.
TikTok was also the target of Donald Trump before
ByteDance appealed the decision, arguing that the law violated its rights to freedom of expression. The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) also supported the company’s argument. However, this legal fight is not new as TikTok has faced similar ban attempts before. Former President Donald Trump tried to ban the practice during his first term, but backed off this stance during the 2024 presidential campaign.
The acceptance of ByteDance’s appeal request is seen as an important development in the company’s legal efforts. However, the court’s final decision will determine TikTok’s future in the United States. All eyes will be on the hearing on January 10.
The consequences of this law have the potential to affect the activities of not only TikTok but also foreign technology companies in the United States. On the other hand, it is predicted that it will create a wide-scale debate about the balance between freedom of expression and national security.