WASHINGTON (trfnews.i234.me) — On January 17, 2025, the U.S. Supreme Court unanimously upheld a federal law mandating that ByteDance, TikTok’s Chinese parent company, divest its U.S. operations by January 19, 2025, or face a nationwide ban.
The decision was based on national security concerns related to data collection practices and the company’s ties to the Chinese government.
If ByteDance does not complete the sale by the deadline, TikTok will be removed from app stores, preventing new downloads and updates. Existing users may continue to access the app, but without updates, functionality is expected to degrade over time.
President-elect Donald Trump has indicated a willingness to negotiate a resolution, stating he will address the issue after taking office on January 20, 2025. The current administration under President Joe Biden has signaled it will not enforce the ban during its final days.
ByteDance has expressed reluctance to sell TikTok. However, potential buyers, including former Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin and businessman Frank McCourt, have shown interest in acquiring the app’s U.S. operations.
The Supreme Court’s ruling emphasizes the government’s authority to address national security risks associated with foreign-owned applications, setting a precedent for future cases involving technology and data privacy.
I’m Chris Harper, reporting for trfnews.i234.me