On January 17, 2025, the U.S. Supreme Court unanimously upheld a federal law mandating that ByteDance, TikTok’s Chinese parent company, divest its ownership of the popular social media platform by January 19 or face a nationwide ban.
The Court’s decision emphasizes national security concerns, stating that ByteDance’s ownership poses potential risks due to data collection practices and its ties to the Chinese government.
Despite the ruling, the Biden administration announced it would not enforce the ban, leaving the decision to the incoming administration of President-elect Donald Trump, who takes office on January 20.
President-elect Trump has indicated a willingness to address the issue, stating he would “respect” the Supreme Court’s decision and make a determination on TikTok’s future in the near term.
TikTok has expressed concerns about the impending ban, warning that the app could “go dark” for its 170 million U.S. users if a resolution is not reached by the deadline.
The company is seeking clarity from the incoming administration to prevent disruption to its services.
This development follows a bipartisan effort by Congress to address potential security threats posed by foreign-owned applications, culminating in the legislation requiring TikTok’s divestiture or ban.
As the January 19 deadline approaches, the future of TikTok in the United States remains uncertain, pending actions from the incoming administration and potential negotiations for the sale of its U.S. operations.
