Supreme Court Says TikTok Ban is Legal: What It Means For You

January 17, 2025
1 min read
The Supreme Court ruled that the government can ban TikTok. By January 19, TikTok must cut ties with its Chinese owner ByteDance or stop working in the U.S.

The Supreme Court ruled that the government can ban TikTok. By January 19, TikTok must cut ties with its Chinese owner ByteDance or stop working in the U.S.

🔄 What’s Happening: A new law says apps owned by foreign countries can’t operate in the U.S. if they are seen as security risks. TikTok’s owner, ByteDance, is based in China. The U.S. government is worried about how TikTok handles user data. The Court decided this ban is allowed under U.S. law. The decision was unanimous.

📢 Who Made It Happen: TikTok and some users said the ban takes away their right to free speech. The government said it is protecting national security. The Court agreed with the government’s argument.

🌎 What It Means: TikTok is used by 170 million people in the U.S. Many make money or share their ideas on the app. This decision could lead to changes for other foreign-owned apps in the future.

📊 Key Points: The Court’s decision means TikTok has to sell its U.S. operations or face a ban. The law only targets apps owned by foreign governments seen as a risk. It doesn’t apply to all social media.

🔎 What’s Next: ByteDance has until January 19 to sell TikTok’s U.S. business or make big changes to its ownership. If they don’t, TikTok could shut down in the U.S. Lawmakers are also working on more rules for apps owned by foreign companies.

President Joe Biden says he will not enforce the ban and will punt to President-Elect Donald Trump’s administration. Congress may also get involved and extend the deadline for TikTok to sell.

The Supreme Court ruled that the government can ban TikTok. By January 19, TikTok must cut ties with its Chinese owner ByteDance or stop working in the U.S.
B.T. Clark
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B.T. Clark is an award-winning journalist and the Publisher of The Georgia Sun. He has 25 years of experience in journalism and served as Managing Editor of Neighbor Newspapers in metro Atlanta for 15 years and Digital Director at Times-Journal Inc. for 8 years. His work has appeared in several newspapers throughout the state including Neighbor Newspapers, The Cherokee Tribune and The Marietta Daily Journal. He is a Georgia native and a fifth-generation Georgian.