TikTok Faces Ban by Sunday After Supreme Court Rejects Appeal

The Supreme Court's rejection of TikTok's appeal paves the way for a potential ban on the platform, effective Sunday, January 19th. The court unanimously dismissed TikTok's First Amendment challenge, citing the app's scale, susceptibility to foreign control, and extensive data collection as justifying the government's national security concerns.

Without political intervention, TikTok will be unavailable in the U.S. While President Biden favors American ownership, the implementation falls to the incoming Trump administration. The Supreme Court's ruling acknowledged TikTok's popularity but upheld Congress's decision, stating the divestiture is necessary to address national security concerns.

Trump, previously opposed to a ban, might issue an executive order delaying enforcement for 60-90 days. He reportedly discussed the matter with Chairman Xi Jinping. The possibility of a complete sale to a Western entity remains uncertain, though reports suggest it's under consideration. Elon Musk, involved with the incoming administration, is reportedly being considered as an intermediary, or potentially a buyer himself.

In anticipation of the ban, users have migrated to alternative platforms like Red Note (Xiaohongshu), with Reuters reporting over 700,000 new users in just two days. TikTok's future in the U.S. hinges on either a sale or cessation of operations, unless the Trump administration intervenes.