Social media video platform TikTok has announced plans to cease operations in the US on January 19 unless the Supreme Court blocks or delays its ban “ find out more below.
Per a report from Associated Press, TikTok has confirmed that it intends to shut down its app in the United States on January 19. This, however, would be a last resort if the Supreme Court decides to enforce laws that will force the Chinese-owned platform to sell to a third party and break ties with parent company ByteDance. ByteDance has said that it has no intentions to sell the app.
It follows TikTok, and its parent company, ByteDance, losing an appeal last month, with a US federal appeals court panel deciding unanimously to uphold a law that will ban TikTok in the country by January 19 unless it is sold off by then “ or if the Supreme Court offers the company another option.
Legal representatives of the social media app argued that the ban infringes upon the country s First Amendment, however this was rebuffed by the court which said they were seeking to protect free speech and to limit a foreign adversary nation being able to gather data on people in the United States .
On Saturday (January 10), the court will hear further arguments on the law that requires TikTok to be sold off by, and break ties with, the China-based ByteDance “ or be banned by January 19.
Trump, who clinched a historic win in the 2024 US Presidential election in November, has publicly opposed the ban, though he did support one in his first term as President. He has since requested that the Supreme Court delay the ban, though it is unclear if this will factor into the Court’s decision tomorrow.
Trump s lawyer filed a legal brief on December 27 saying he opposes banning TikTok and seeks the ability to resolve the issues at hand through political means once he takes office .
The sell-or-ban measure was issued into law by US President Joe Biden last year (April 24), following a long-running dispute over claims that the company s ownership structure could allow the Chinese government to gain access to the data of its millions of American users.
To date, over 30 American states, Canada, and the European Union have separately banned the app from use on government-owned devices over concerns it could be a security risk. India banned the app nationwide in January 2021, while Taiwan and Afghanistan did the same in 2022.
The consequence of TikTok s US bans may have a sizeable impact on the music industry “ a recent report by the platform claimed that a majority of US and UK chart-topping singles in 2024 were associated with a TikTok trend.
In May 2024, TikTok also established a new licensing agreement with Universal Music Group, after the label initially withdrew its artists music from the platform as a result of both parties inability to work out a new deal. In September, TikTok shut its streaming service, TikTok Music, after just over a year of operations.
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