Supreme Court upholds Tik Tok ban
by Rob Beschizza · Boing BoingThe U.S. Supreme Court today upheld congress's ban on Tik Tok, weighting national security fears over the free speech interests of the video site's users and foreign owners.
In a unanimous decision, the Supreme Court sided with the Biden administration, upholding the Protecting Americans from Foreign Adversary Controlled Applications Act which President Joe Biden signed in April.
"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 Supreme Court's opinion said. "But Congress has determined that divestiture is necessary to address its well-supported national security concerns regarding TikTok's data collection practices and relationship with a foreign adversary."
Various interests in the U.S. are still eagerly trying to get the whole site at a discount, hoping the Chinese parent company, ByteDance, would rather sell it off than shut it down when it comes to the crunch. Elon Musk reportedly wants to buy it, and YouTube persona Mr. Beast is acting as a cutout for "billionaires" said to include Peter Thiel. Though the law goes into effect Sunday, the outgoing Biden administration has said it will take no action that day, and Monday brings a new boss who no longer favors the ban at all, perhaps due to these allies' interest in owning it.
TikTok's fate in the U.S. now lies in the hands of President-elect Donald Trump, who in December asked the Supreme Court to pause the law's implementation and allow his administration "the opportunity to pursue a political resolution of the questions at issue in the case."