In a landmark decision, the Supreme Court has unanimously upheld the law requiring ByteDance to sell TikTok or face a U.S. ban, setting the stage for a dramatic weekend for the app's 170 million American users. The ruling affirms the Protecting Americans from Foreign Adversary Controlled Applications Act, while attention now turns to President-elect Trump for potential intervention.
"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," the Court acknowledged in its opinion. However, they concluded that Congress's national security concerns about TikTok's data collection practices and relationship with a foreign adversary justified the divestiture requirement.
TikTok CEO Shou Chew, who is scheduled to attend Trump's inauguration on Monday, released a video message thanking the President-elect "for his commitment to work with us to find a solution." Trump himself took to Truth Social, stating the decision must be respected while promising to review the situation, telling followers to "Stay tuned!"
The implications for users and businesses are significant. Under the law, service providers like Apple and Google will face penalties for supporting a ByteDance-owned TikTok after January 19. This means users may lose access to critical updates, effectively rendering the app non-functional even for those who already have it installed.
The White House acknowledged the timing complexity, with Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre stating that implementation would fall to the incoming Trump administration. Meanwhile, the Justice Department hailed the decision as a tool to "prevent the Chinese government from weaponizing TikTok to undermine America's national security."
Should ByteDance choose to sell, analysts estimate TikTok's U.S. operations could command a price between $40 billion and $50 billion. The situation has already triggered a migration of users to alternative platforms, with Chinese app RedNote surging to the top of Apple's App Store and Meta's Instagram preparing for a potential influx of new users.
This story is developing. We will continue to provide updates on the future of TikTok in the United States as events unfold over this crucial weekend.