Everything you need to know about the looming TikTok ban
Last Friday, the Supreme Court held its first hearing on the decision to ban TikTok in the United States. The law's opponents argue that the ban is unconstitutional because it violates the First Amendment. However, the United States government believes TikTok is a threat to national security because the parent company, ByteDance, is owned by China. US officials fear China could use the app's personal data to push pro-China content.
How Could the Ban Be Stopped?
The Biden administration has suggested that the ban could be avoided if ByteDance sells TikTok to a non-Chinese company. Without such a sale, the ban is set to take effect on January 19. However, legal challenges may delay implementation.
What Are the Latest Updates?
At Friday’s hearing, Supreme Court justices questioned the First Amendment arguments made by TikTok’s legal team. Observers noted that the court appeared skeptical about the relevance of free speech claims made by TikTok's legal team.
How Would the Ban Work?
If the ban is enacted, TikTok's future is uncertain. Instead, the U.S. government could require app stores like Google Play and Apple’s App Store to remove TikTok from their platforms. People who already have the app downloaded would likely still be able to use it, though updates would no longer be available.
The issue with this is that vulnerabilities in the app could become apparent to hackers, who could take advantage of them and compromise your app and device. Another way the government could potentially enforce the ban is by forcing US internet providers to block access to TikTok, but that would be difficult because there are more ISPs than app stores.
Can I Get Around the Ban?
Some users might turn to virtual private networks (VPNs), which can mask a user’s location and allow access to restricted content. VPNs are commonly used in countries like Turkey, where access to platforms such as Instagram and Facebook is limited.
However, a TikTok ban may not be permanent. ByteDance could still sell TikTok to a non-Chinese company, which would potentially resolve U.S. security concerns and restore access for American users.
What can President Trump do to save the app?
Newly elected President Trump has spoken in favor of TikTok, after previously supporting the ban. Ahead of Friday's Supreme Court hearing, Trump filed a brief urging the court to temporarily pause the ban's implementation to give him time to negotiate the sale of TikTok, but it has not been enacted. Legal experts have suggested that Trump could choose not to enforce the law and signal to Apple and Google that they will not be fined for continuing to host the app on their platforms.
