The U.S. Supreme Court on Friday seemed inclined to rule against TikTok, the social media app that faces a ban in the U.S. unless its parent company sells it to a non-Chinese company, media outlets reported.
Justices heard TikTok's argument that a federal law requiring its sale by Jan. 19 violates the First Amendment, as well as the U.S. government's counter that the law addresses a national security risk. A ruling is likely by the end of next week, The New York Times reported.
The law, signed by President Joe Biden last April, received bipartisan support from members of Congress. Some justices appeared concerned it could conflict with free speech rights, but a majority seemed to view it as an effort to regulate a foreign-owned app that can track and collect data on its 170 million American users, CNN reported. Several seemed worried that China could possibly use TikTok data for espionage or blackmail, per The Times.
TikTok's departure from the U.S. would affect more than 7 million Americans who use it to advertise and sell products, according to the app. They stand to lose up to $1.3 billion in revenue per month, TikTok said.
The app has found a new fan in President-elect Donald Trump, who asked the Supreme Court in late December to delay a ban so he could find a way to save it. It was a turnaround for Trump, who tried to ban the app through an executive order during his first term, citing national security concerns.
Trump told CNBC last March he still considered TikTok a threat but that young people "will go crazy without it" and that banning it would empower Facebook, which he said he considers "an enemy of the people." Following his reelection in November, Trump told the media he had "a warm spot in my heart" for the app, which he used as a way to reach younger voters.
Media outlets reported that his change of mind came around the same time he met with Jeff Yass, a major Republican donor with financial ties to TikTok's parent company ByteDance. Trump said they didn't discuss the company, per The New York Times.
Trump met in December with TikTok CEO Shou Chew, The Associated Press reported.
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