Tiktok on Friday warned of an imminent blackout for 17 million US users after the Supreme Court upheld Divest or Ban laws targeting video apps.
The law enforces Tiktok’s Chinese parent ordinance to sell platforms the day before Donald Trump returns as US president or January 19, when he faces a nationwide ban.
“For more than 170 million Americans, Tiktok is undoubtedly offering a unique and vast outlet for expression, means of involvement and community sources,” the Supreme Court announced on Friday. I wrote it with a consensus.
“However, Congress has determined that the sale is necessary to address well-supported national security concerns regarding Tiktok’s data collection practices and its relationship with foreign enemies,” he added. Ta.
Following the ruling, the Joe Biden administration said the resignation president would not enforce the ban during the remaining inauguration date.
“Given the pure facts of timing, this administration recognizes that actions to implement the law simply must fall into the next administration that will take office on Monday,” the White House said.
However, Tiktok said late Friday that a statement from the White House and the Department of Justice failed to provide the clarity and guarantees necessary for service providers, essential to maintaining Tiktok availability in the United States.
“Unless the Biden administration immediately provides a definitive statement to satisfy the most important service providers that guarantee non-enforcement, Tiktok will unfortunately be forced to darken January 19th. ”
Under the terms of the law, without sale, it is illegal for a company to provide services that distribute or host video apps or face a fine of $5,000 per user.
It remains unclear whether high-tech groups such as Apple, Google and Oracle that provide such services to Tiktok in the US are at risk of continuing to partner with the company over the weekend. It is also unclear whether the app can intentionally take offline in order to protect its partners.
Apple, Google, or Oracle did not respond to requests for comment.
Trump said in a post on the True Society after ruling that “decisions regarding Tiktok will be made in the not too distant future, but we will have time to consider the situation,” and the court’s decision was “predicted.” And everyone has to do it.” I respect that.”
In a video posted to Tiktok following the court’s decision, group CEO Shou Zi Chew was not relieved to see whether it will continue to function in the US on Sunday, but he is pampering Trump and is lavishing I’ve done it.
“President Trump would like to thank his commitment to working with us to find solutions that will make Tiktok available in the US, which is against the First Amendment and arbitrary censorship. It’s a strong position,” he said, adding that the presidential election “really understands” the platform.
US Attorney General Merrick Garland said the court’s decision “will allow the Department of Justice to prevent the Chinese government from undermining American national security.”
“The next phase of this effort — implementing and ensuring compliance with the law after it comes into effect on January 19th will be a process that unfolds over time,” U.S. Deputy Attorney General Lisa Monaco said. Ta.
Tiktok says the spinoff is technically infeasible, but Beijing shows it opposes any sale.
The court’s ruling took over shortly after Trump said he had discussed Tiktok on Friday in a call with Chinese President Xi Jinping. This was the first call between leaders in four years.
The Supreme Court ruling supports one of Biden’s most audacious legislative moves just days before the Democratic president left the White House.
On Thursday, Trump’s upcoming national security adviser Mike Waltz said the law “allows extensions as long as there are viable transactions on the table.” Essentially, President Trump buys time to continue his tiktok.”
Chinese officials are having preliminary debate over whether billionaire Elon Musk (now Trump’s close ally) can mediate contracts to sell the app, the Financial Times reported this week. .
Some potential buyers and partners are lobbying around Trump. These include Frank McCourt, an American media and sports businessman. He has established a consortium of investors bidding on Tiktok through his nonprofit, Project Liberty.
Tiktok Chief Chu has made a compelling attack to step up Trump’s support, including plans to attend the “winning rally” of the presidential election in Washington on Sunday and to attend his inauguration on Monday. The two, who are well versed in the matter, said they pretended.
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Concerns spurred the law passed last year with strong bipartisan support, using Beijing to use apps for spying and spreading propaganda.
China said it has not yet utilized its relationship with Bytedance Ltd to access data from US Tiktok users, but concluded that the government’s decision that China might do so is not at least reasonable. He said there was no basis for it. Inference (e) Based on substantial evidence.”
Tiktok asked the Supreme Court to hear the suit after the US Court of Appeals refused to challenge the law and then rejected a request to halt the action of stopping the court’s lawsuit.
The company attempted to abandon the law by claiming it was unconstitutional, violating First Amendment protections for free speech.
Additional reports by AIME Williams in Washington and Stephen Morris and Michael Acton in San Francisco
