US Supreme Court hints at upholding TikTok ban

By Efe Ozkan

ISTANBUL (AA) - The US Supreme Court, in a hearing on Friday, appeared in favor of upholding the sell-or-ban law approved by Congress in April that restricts access to social media platform TikTok, according to multiple news outlets.

The nine justices listened to oral arguments from lawyers of TikTok, who appealed against a lower court's ruling rejecting their argument that the ban violates free speech rights protected by the First Amendment.

The judges looked unconvinced by TikTok's free speech arguments, and their primary concern seemed to have centered on national security implications of a social media platform with foreign owners that collects data of American users. TikTok is owned by Chinese-based parent company ByteDance.

Uncertainty lingers over how the court will handle the case, particularly with President-elect Donald Trump assuming office just a day after the Jan. 19 deadline for the law to take effect. Trump has urged the court to temporarily delay the ban's implementation, allowing him time as president to negotiate a deal with TikTok.

The law in question, enacted with broad bipartisan support, requires the TikTok owner to divest itself of the company. If no sale takes place, the platform used by millions of Americans would cease to function.