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, set to take effect on Sunday, January 19th. The court unanimously dismissed TikTok's First Amendment challenge, citing the app's scale, susceptibility to foreign control, and the vast amount of sensitive data it collects as justifying the government's national security concerns.

Without political intervention, TikTok faces a complete shutdown in the U.S. this Sunday. While President Biden has expressed a preference for TikTok's continued operation under American ownership, the implementation of the ban falls to the incoming Trump administration.

The Supreme Court's ruling acknowledged TikTok's significance for millions of American users but upheld the necessity of divestiture to address national security concerns. Despite Trump's previous opposition to a ban, and his reported discussions with Chairman Xi Jinping, the possibility of a 60-90 day delay via executive order remains.

Speculation centers on a potential sale to a Western buyer, with reports suggesting a full purchase is being considered. Elon Musk's involvement with the incoming administration has led to suggestions he might act as an intermediary, or even pursue a purchase himself.

In anticipation of the ban, users have migrated to alternative platforms, with Red Note (Xiaohongshu) experiencing a significant surge in new users.

The future of TikTok in the U.S. hinges on a successful sale or a last-minute executive order from the Trump administration. Otherwise, the app faces a complete cessation of operations.