A law requiring TikTok to be sold or banned in the United States is set to take effect on January 19, 2025. The legislation demands app stores and internet service providers block TikTok unless its parent company, ByteDance, sells the app. In response, TikTok is actively fighting to delay the implementation of this law.
Last week, the platform lost a lawsuit challenging the legislation but has since filed a new one, hoping to secure a temporary suspension. TikTok argues that such a delay would give the incoming administration time to reassess the issue. The company also highlighted that the president-elect has expressed intentions to protect the app, fueling optimism about its future.
Supreme Court Appeal and Trump’s Evolving Stance
TikTok’s parent company plans to appeal to the U.S. Supreme Court, seeking to protect what it describes as “Americans’ right to free speech.” While there is no certainty that the Supreme Court will hear the case, TikTok is determined to pursue every legal avenue.
Former President Donald Trump has played a key role in TikTok’s challenges. During his first term, he issued executive orders to restrict cooperation with the app, citing concerns that TikTok could serve as a tool for Chinese government data collection. However, legal challenges and President Joe Biden’s 2021 decision to overturn those orders stalled these efforts.
Biden revisited the issue in April 2024, signing a law that mandated ByteDance to sell TikTok within 270 days or face a ban. Yet in early 2024, Trump shifted his stance, promising to save the app from a ban. Reports suggest this change came after discussions with a Republican donor holding significant financial interests in TikTok.
As legal battles continue, TikTok’s fate in the U.S. remains uncertain, concludes NIXsolutions. The company remains committed to fighting the ban, emphasizing free speech and consumer choice. We’ll keep you updated as more developments unfold.