U.S. Supreme Court Upholds TikTok Ban on Sunday Unless Sold By Chinese Owner

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WASHINGTON, D.C. – The Supreme Court has upheld a controversial law that effectively bans TikTok in the United States starting Sunday unless its Chinese parent company, ByteDance, sells the popular social media app.

The decision, announced just two days before President Donald Trump is set to take office, intensifies the uncertainty surrounding the app’s future. While Trump has hinted at potentially delaying the ban to negotiate a resolution, no formal steps have been announced.

TikTok, which boasts 150 million users in the U.S., has come under scrutiny from the federal government, which labels it a national security risk. Officials claim that the app could enable the Chinese government to access Americans’ personal data, although no concrete evidence has been presented to support the allegations.

The ban has sparked widespread concern among content creators who depend on the platform for their livelihoods. Many are scrambling to explore alternative platforms, while companies like Meta (Instagram) and Google (YouTube) are already positioning themselves to capture TikTok’s market share.

The move has also reignited debates over the balance between national security and digital freedom, with critics questioning the lack of transparency surrounding the decision. ByteDance has repeatedly denied allegations of data misuse and expressed a willingness to negotiate safeguards to address security concerns.

As the deadline looms, TikTok users and businesses tied to the platform face an uncertain future, waiting to see whether a last-minute deal might salvage the app’s operations in the U.S.

Source: THR, Reuters, AP