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How much is TikTok worth and who could buy it?
NEW YORK (AP) — The supremely popular TikTok could be banned on Jan. 19 under a federal law that forces the video sharing platform to divest itself from its China-based parent company, ByteDance, or shut down its U.S. operations.

Several parties have expressed interest in buying the platform, but ByteDance has repeatedly said it does not plan to sell. Experts have also noted the Chinese government is unlikely to approve a sale that includes TikTok’s coveted algorithm.

But until the deadline passes, or until the Supreme Court takes action, the possibility of a purchase is still possible. Here’s what you need to know:

How much is TikTok worth?

Wedbush analyst Dan Ives estimates TikTok is worth “well north of $100 billion” with the algorithm — and potentially up to $200 billion in a “best case scenario.”

“Without the algorithm it’s $40 billion to $50 billion,” Ives said, adding he does not believe that ByteDance and Beijing would sell TikTok with the algorithm.

Attorneys for the TikTok and ByteDance have claimed it’s impossible to divest the platform commercially and technologically. They also say any sale of TikTok without the coveted algorithm — the platform’s secret sauce that Chinese authorities would likely block under any divesture plan — would turn the U.S. version of TikTok into an island disconnected from other global content.

U.S. officials warned that the proprietary algorithm is vulnerable to manipulation by Chinese authorities, who can use it to shape content on the platform in a way that’s difficult to detect.

Who’s serious about buying TikTok?

Billionaire businessman and real estate mogul Frank McCourt and his internet advocacy group recently announced it had submitted a proposal to buy the social media site from ByteDance. Famed Shark Tank investor Kevin O’Leary has also joined the effort.

The group has not disclosed details of the bid.

If a sale occurs, the former owner of the Los Angeles Dodgers said he would plan to restructure TikTok and give more agency to people “over their digital identities and data” by migrating the platform to an open-source protocol that allows for more transparency.

Former Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin has also taken steps to purchase TikTok.

Shortly after Congress passed the ban, Mnuchin told CNBC he had started creating an investor group that would purchase the popular social media company. He offered no details about who may be in the group or about TikTok’s possible valuation.

When Mnuchin was Treasury secretary, he helped the Trump administration broker a deal in 2020 that would have had U.S. corporations Oracle and Walmart take a large stake in TikTok on national security grounds.

Several other names have been floated as possible buyers — Tesla CEO Elon Musk, Jimmy Donaldson ( MrBeast), who recently posted on social media about possibly pulling off such a deal, and former Blizzard-Activision CEO Bobby Kotick. Whether these buyers are serious and actively assembling a bid for the company, however, is not clear.

Can Trump intervene?

President-elect Donald Trump, who takes office on Jan. 20, recently asked the court to put a pause on the law so he can work out a “political resolution” to the issue during his second term.

If the justices — who heard oral arguments Friday over the law — grant his request, a potential ban on TikTok will be delayed. The Supreme Court is expected to issue a decision within days.

The Trump transition team has not offered details on how Trump plans to carry out his campaign pledge to “save TikTok.” But spokeswoman Karoline Leavitt said in a statement in November that he plans to “deliver” on his promise.

After Trump takes office, it would fall on his Justice Department to enforce the law and punish any potential violators. On Wednesday, Pam Bondi, Trump’s pick for Attorney General, dodged a question during a Senate hearing on whether she’d uphold a TikTok ban.

TikTok has become one of the most popular social media platforms in the world, with over 1 billion users worldwide. As a result, the app’s value has skyrocketed in recent years.

As of 2021, TikTok is estimated to be worth around $250 billion, making it one of the most valuable social media companies in the world. This valuation is due to the app’s massive user base, strong engagement metrics, and potential for future growth.

Given TikTok’s immense value, there are several potential buyers who could be interested in acquiring the platform. Some of the most likely candidates include tech giants like Facebook, Google, and Microsoft, as well as media companies like Disney and Comcast.

While TikTok’s current owner, the Chinese company ByteDance, has stated that they have no plans to sell the app, the possibility of a future acquisition cannot be ruled out. With its massive user base and potential for continued growth, TikTok remains an attractive investment for any company looking to expand its reach in the social media space.

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January 17, 2025
Supreme Court upholds looming TikTok ban

The Supreme Court on Friday upheld a federal law that would ban the Chinese-owned social media platform TikTok just two days before the bipartisan divestiture law is slated to take effect.

“There is no doubt that, for more than 170 million Americans, TikTok offers a distinctive and expansive outlet for expression, means of engagement, and source of community,” the court wrote in the unsigned ruling. “But Congress has determined that divestiture is necessary to address its well-supported national security concerns regarding TikTok’s data collection practices and relationship with a foreign adversary.

“For the foregoing reasons, we conclude that the challenged provisions do not violate petitioners’ First Amendment rights. The judgment of the United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit is affirmed.”

There were no noted dissents.

At issue was the Protecting Americans from Foreign Adversary Controlled Applications Act, a law passed by Congress last April with wide bipartisan support. The law gave TikTok nine months to either divest from its Chinese parent company, ByteDance, or be removed from U.S.-based app stores and hosting services.

SUPREME COURT APPEARS SKEPTICAL OF BLOCKING US BAN ON TIKTOK: WHAT TO KNOW

The US Supreme Court building in Washington, D.C. (Drew Angerer/AFP via Getty )

In passing the law, Congress cited concerns over the app’s Chinese ownership, which members said meant the app had the potential to be weaponized or used to amass vast amounts of user data, including from the roughly 170 million Americans who use TikTok.

TikTok, ByteDance and several users of the app swiftly sued to block the ban in May, arguing the legislation would suppress free speech for the millions of Americans who use the platform. After a lower court upheld the ban, the Supreme Court agreed to hear TikTok’s emergency request to either block or pause implementation of the law under a fast-track timeline just nine days before the ban was slated to go into effect.

READ THE SUPREME COURT RULING ON TIKTOK LAW – APP USERS, CLICK HERE:

During oral arguments, lawyers for the Biden administration reiterated the argument that TikTok’s Chinese ownership poses a “grave” national security risk for American users.

U.S. Solicitor General Elizabeth Prelogar cited risks that China could weaponize the app, including by manipulating its algorithm to prioritize certain content or by ordering parent company ByteDance to turn over vast amounts of user data compiled by TikTok on U.S. users.

TRUMP SAYS FATE OF TIKTOK SHOULD BE IN HIS HANDS WHEN HE RETURNS TO WHITE HOUSE

TikTok’s lawyers, meanwhile, sought to frame the case primarily as a restriction on free speech protections under the First Amendment, which the company has argued applies to TikTok’s U.S.-based incorporation.

Noel Francisco, TikTok’s lawyer, argued that the U.S. government has “no valid interest in preventing foreign propaganda,” and reiterated TikTok’s position that the platform and its owners should be entitled to the highest level of free speech protections under the U.S. Constitution.

Francisco also argued TikTok cannot divest from its Chinese parent company, citing portions of its source code and intellectual property that are housed in China.

First Amendment protections must be considered under strict scrutiny, which requires the government to sustain a higher burden of proof in justifying a law’s constitutionality.

The app for TikTok is seen on a phone screen alongside other social media platforms. (Yui Mok/PA Images via Getty Images)

More specifically, laws that deal with First Amendment protections must be crafted to serve a compelling government interest, narrowly tailored to achieve that interest.

It’s a difficult legal test to satisfy in court. But the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit used it last month in considering the divestiture law, and still voted to uphold it— outlining a way that the Supreme Court could have theoretically considered the case under strict scrutiny and still opted to uphold the law.

During oral arguments at the Supreme Court, several justices appeared skeptical of the company’s core argument, which is that the law is a restriction of speech.

“Exactly what is TikTok’s speech here?” Justice Clarence Thomas asked in the first moments of oral arguments in an early sign of the court’s apparent doubt that the law is in fact a First Amendment violation.

POTENTIAL TIKTOK BAN: WHAT SOCIAL MEDIA APPS ARE POPPING UP IN APP STORES?

President-elect Trump is pictured in front of the TikTok logo. (Getty Images)

The Supreme Court and its 6-3 conservative majority have been historically deferential to Congress on matters of national security.

The divestiture law in question passed Congress last year under the guidance of top Justice Department officials, who worked directly with House lawmakers to write the bill and help it withstand possible legal challenges.

But it also comes at a time when President-elect Trump has signaled apparent support for the app in recent months.

In December, Trump hosted TikTok CEO Shou Zi Chew at his Mar-a-Lago resort, and later told reporters that his incoming administration will “take a look at TikTok” and the divestiture case.

CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP

Attorneys for the president-elect also filed a brief with the Supreme Court last month, asking justices to delay any decision in the case until after Trump’s inauguration on Jan. 20.

The brief did not signal how Trump might act, but cited his request for the court to pause the ban from taking effect until Trump’s inauguration.

Fox News’ Bill Mears and Shannon Bream contributed to this report.

Breanne Deppisch is a politics reporter for Fox News Digital covering the 2024 election and other national news.

In a recent decision, the Supreme Court has upheld the looming ban on popular social media app TikTok. The ban, which was set to go into effect in the coming weeks, has been a topic of much controversy and debate.

The court’s decision comes after concerns were raised about the app’s data privacy and security practices, particularly in relation to its Chinese ownership. The Trump administration has been pushing for the ban, citing national security concerns.

Many TikTok users and supporters have expressed disappointment and frustration over the decision, arguing that the ban infringes on their freedom of speech and access to a popular platform for creative expression.

It remains to be seen how this decision will impact the future of TikTok and its millions of users. Stay tuned for more updates on this developing story.

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January 17, 2025
Supreme Court upholds law banning TikTok if it’s not sold by its Chinese parent company

The Supreme Court on Friday unanimously upheld the federal law banning TikTok beginning Sunday unless it’s sold by its China-based parent company, holding that the risk to national security posed by its ties to China overcomes concerns about limiting speech by the app or its 170 million users in the United States.A sale does not appear imminent and, although experts have said the app will not disappear from existing users’ phones once the law takes effect on Jan. 19, new users won’t be able to download it and updates won’t be available. That will eventually render the app unworkable, the Justice Department has said in court filings.The decision came against the backdrop of unusual political agitation by President-elect Donald Trump, who vowed that he could negotiate a solution and the administration of President Joe Biden, which has signaled it won’t enforce the law beginning Sunday, his final full day in office.Trump, mindful of TikTok’s popularity, and his own 14.7 million followers on the app, finds himself on the opposite side of the argument from prominent Senate Republicans who fault TikTok’s Chinese owner for not finding a buyer before now. Trump said in a Truth Social post shortly before the decision was issued that TikTok was among the topics in his conversation Friday with Chinese leader Xi Jinping.It’s unclear what options are open to Trump once he is sworn in as president on Monday. The law allowed for a 90-day pause in the restrictions on the app if there had been progress toward a sale before it took effect. Solicitor General Elizabeth Prelogar, who defended the law at the Supreme Court for the Democratic Biden administration, told the justices last week that it’s uncertain whether the prospect of a sale once the law is in effect could trigger a 90-day respite for TikTok.“Congress has determined that divestiture is necessary to address its well-supported national security concerns regarding TikTok’s data collection practices and relationship with a foreign adversary,” the court said in an unsigned opinion, adding that the law “does not violate petitioners’ First Amendment rights.”Justices Sonia Sotomayor and Neil Gorsuch filed short separate opinions noting some reservations about the court’s decision but going along with the outcome.“Without doubt, the remedy Congress and the President chose here is dramatic,” Gorsuch wrote. Still, he said he was persuaded by the argument that China could get access to “vast troves of personal information about tens of millions of Americans.”At arguments, the justices were told by a lawyer for TikTok and ByteDance Ltd., the Chinese technology company that is its parent, how difficult it would be to consummate a deal, especially since Chinese law restricts the sale of the proprietary algorithm that has made the social media platform wildly successful.The app allows users to watch hundreds of videos in about half an hour because some are only a few seconds long, according to a lawsuit filed last year by Kentucky complaining that TikTok is designed to be addictive and harms kids’ mental health. Similar suits were filed by more than a dozen states. TikTok has called the claims inaccurate.The dispute over TikTok’s ties to China has come to embody the geopolitical competition between Washington and Beijing.“ByteDance and its Chinese Communist masters had nine months to sell TikTok before the Sunday deadline,” Sen. Tom Cotton, R-Ark., wrote on X. “The very fact that Communist China refuses to permit its sale reveals exactly what TikTok is: a communist spy app. The Supreme Court correctly rejected TikTok’s lies and propaganda masquerading as legal arguments.”The U.S. has said it’s concerned about TikTok collecting vast swaths of user data, including sensitive information on viewing habits, that could fall into the hands of the Chinese government through coercion. Officials have also warned the algorithm that fuels what users see on the app is vulnerable to manipulation by Chinese authorities, who can use it to shape content on the platform in a way that’s difficult to detect.TikTok points out the U.S. has not presented evidence that China has attempted to manipulate content on its U.S. platform or gather American user data through TikTok.Bipartisan majorities in Congress passed legislation and Biden signed it into law in April. The law was the culmination of a yearslong saga in Washington over TikTok, which the government sees as a national security threat.TikTok, which sued the government last year over the law, has long denied it could be used as a tool of Beijing. A three-judge panel made up of two Republican appointees and a Democratic appointee unanimously upheld the law in December, prompting TikTok’s quick appeal to the Supreme Court.Without a sale to an approved buyer, the law bars app stores operated by Apple, Google and others from offering TikTok beginning on Sunday. Internet hosting services also will be prohibited from hosting TikTok.ByteDance has said it won’t sell. But some investors have been eyeing it, including Trump’s former Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin and billionaire businessman Frank McCourt. McCourt’s Project Liberty initiative has said it and its unnamed partners have presented a proposal to ByteDance to acquire TikTok’s U.S. assets. The consortium, which includes “Shark Tank” host Kevin O’Leary, did not disclose the financial terms of the offer.Prelogar told the justices last week that having the law take effect “might be just the jolt” ByteDance needs to reconsider its position.

WASHINGTON —

The Supreme Court on Friday unanimously upheld the federal law banning TikTok beginning Sunday unless it’s sold by its China-based parent company, holding that the risk to national security posed by its ties to China overcomes concerns about limiting speech by the app or its 170 million users in the United States.

A sale does not appear imminent and, although experts have said the app will not disappear from existing users’ phones once the law takes effect on Jan. 19, new users won’t be able to download it and updates won’t be available. That will eventually render the app unworkable, the Justice Department has said in court filings.

The decision came against the backdrop of unusual political agitation by President-elect Donald Trump, who vowed that he could negotiate a solution and the administration of President Joe Biden, which has signaled it won’t enforce the law beginning Sunday, his final full day in office.

Trump, mindful of TikTok’s popularity, and his own 14.7 million followers on the app, finds himself on the opposite side of the argument from prominent Senate Republicans who fault TikTok’s Chinese owner for not finding a buyer before now. Trump said in a Truth Social post shortly before the decision was issued that TikTok was among the topics in his conversation Friday with Chinese leader Xi Jinping.

It’s unclear what options are open to Trump once he is sworn in as president on Monday. The law allowed for a 90-day pause in the restrictions on the app if there had been progress toward a sale before it took effect. Solicitor General Elizabeth Prelogar, who defended the law at the Supreme Court for the Democratic Biden administration, told the justices last week that it’s uncertain whether the prospect of a sale once the law is in effect could trigger a 90-day respite for TikTok.

“Congress has determined that divestiture is necessary to address its well-supported national security concerns regarding TikTok’s data collection practices and relationship with a foreign adversary,” the court said in an unsigned opinion, adding that the law “does not violate petitioners’ First Amendment rights.”

Justices Sonia Sotomayor and Neil Gorsuch filed short separate opinions noting some reservations about the court’s decision but going along with the outcome.

“Without doubt, the remedy Congress and the President chose here is dramatic,” Gorsuch wrote. Still, he said he was persuaded by the argument that China could get access to “vast troves of personal information about tens of millions of Americans.”

At arguments, the justices were told by a lawyer for TikTok and ByteDance Ltd., the Chinese technology company that is its parent, how difficult it would be to consummate a deal, especially since Chinese law restricts the sale of the proprietary algorithm that has made the social media platform wildly successful.

The app allows users to watch hundreds of videos in about half an hour because some are only a few seconds long, according to a lawsuit filed last year by Kentucky complaining that TikTok is designed to be addictive and harms kids’ mental health. Similar suits were filed by more than a dozen states. TikTok has called the claims inaccurate.

The dispute over TikTok’s ties to China has come to embody the geopolitical competition between Washington and Beijing.

“ByteDance and its Chinese Communist masters had nine months to sell TikTok before the Sunday deadline,” Sen. Tom Cotton, R-Ark., wrote on X. “The very fact that Communist China refuses to permit its sale reveals exactly what TikTok is: a communist spy app. The Supreme Court correctly rejected TikTok’s lies and propaganda masquerading as legal arguments.”

The U.S. has said it’s concerned about TikTok collecting vast swaths of user data, including sensitive information on viewing habits, that could fall into the hands of the Chinese government through coercion. Officials have also warned the algorithm that fuels what users see on the app is vulnerable to manipulation by Chinese authorities, who can use it to shape content on the platform in a way that’s difficult to detect.

TikTok points out the U.S. has not presented evidence that China has attempted to manipulate content on its U.S. platform or gather American user data through TikTok.

Bipartisan majorities in Congress passed legislation and Biden signed it into law in April. The law was the culmination of a yearslong saga in Washington over TikTok, which the government sees as a national security threat.

TikTok, which sued the government last year over the law, has long denied it could be used as a tool of Beijing. A three-judge panel made up of two Republican appointees and a Democratic appointee unanimously upheld the law in December, prompting TikTok’s quick appeal to the Supreme Court.

Without a sale to an approved buyer, the law bars app stores operated by Apple, Google and others from offering TikTok beginning on Sunday. Internet hosting services also will be prohibited from hosting TikTok.

ByteDance has said it won’t sell. But some investors have been eyeing it, including Trump’s former Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin and billionaire businessman Frank McCourt. McCourt’s Project Liberty initiative has said it and its unnamed partners have presented a proposal to ByteDance to acquire TikTok’s U.S. assets. The consortium, which includes “Shark Tank” host Kevin O’Leary, did not disclose the financial terms of the offer.

Prelogar told the justices last week that having the law take effect “might be just the jolt” ByteDance needs to reconsider its position.

The Supreme Court has ruled in favor of upholding a law that bans TikTok in the United States if it is not sold by its Chinese parent company, ByteDance. This decision comes after months of legal battles and controversy surrounding the popular social media app.

The law, which was passed by Congress last year, requires ByteDance to sell TikTok to a U.S.-based company or face a complete ban in the country. The Supreme Court’s ruling affirms the constitutionality of this law and sets a precedent for future cases involving foreign-owned companies operating in the U.S.

Critics of the law argue that it infringes on free speech rights and unfairly targets Chinese-owned companies. However, supporters argue that it is necessary to protect national security and prevent foreign interference in U.S. elections.

The future of TikTok in the U.S. remains uncertain as ByteDance continues to search for a buyer. In the meantime, users of the app are left wondering what the future holds for their favorite platform. Stay tuned for further developments on this ongoing saga.

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January 17, 2025
Supreme Court Rules on Potential TikTok Ban: Live Updates and What’s Next

When Savannah Kalata, a high school senior, wakes up in the morning, the first thing she does is turn off her alarm. The second thing she does is open TikTok.

“It’s just like this quick fix,” said Ms. Kalata, 18, who lives in Minnesota. “I can’t take my eyes off it.”

Ms. Kalata spends about two and a half hours a day on TikTok, she said. She watches videos while she’s eating, while she’s walking on the treadmill, and while she’s in bed before she goes to sleep. “I feel like my phone can kind of control me at times,” she said. “I don’t even necessarily want to go on TikTok. It’s a habit, and it’s something that’s hard to break.”

Ms. Kalata may have to quit cold turkey.

The Supreme Court on Friday backed a federal law that would effectively ban the popular app from operating in the United States. The decision means that the app could be banned as soon as Sunday. How that might play out for TikTok’s roughly 170 million U.S. users isn’t yet clear. But it may soon be difficult, if not impossible, for users to scroll to their heart’s content.

“I WONT SURVIVE I FEAR,” one user wrote in a video caption. “How will I ever laugh again?” wrote another.

The videos about TikTok “withdrawal” aren’t all serious. But some users, like Ms. Kalata, say they do genuinely feel addicted — and some experts who study social media use say that may be true, to an extent.

“TikTok is actually a very good example of having an addictive design,” said Dr. Isaac Vaghefi, an assistant professor at the Baruch College Zicklin School of Business who studies social media. He rattled off several features that keep users coming back for more: a never-ending feed of content, short videos that command attention, and a highly effective, personalized “For You” algorithm.

TikTok has said its app has several features in place to help users manage their screen time, including scheduled screen time breaks and daily screen time limits.

“Everything on my For You is pretty much content that I want to watch,” said Brandon Gapultos, an accountant in Glendora, Calif. Mr. Gapultos, 29, spends more than two and a half hours on TikTok every day, he said, often watching day-in-the-life posts about other people’s work lives.

The videos “give me something to relate to,” he said, “and get me through the day.”

Breaking a TikTok Habit

“Social media addiction” isn’t a formal medical diagnosis. But experts generally agree that some people develop “problematic usage of social media,” said Dr. Marc Potenza, a professor of psychiatry at the Yale School of Medicine who specializes in addiction. Scientists don’t fully understand why that happens, but some research suggests that social media usage activates the parts of the brain that respond to pleasurable experiences, called the reward pathway.

Dr. Potenza said there are some telltale signs that your TikTok habit could be problematic — if you prioritize using the app over eating, sleeping or working, for example, or if you feel compelled to open the app throughout the day. Some people might feel on edge or crave watching videos when they don’t have access, he added.

Another red flag is “a loss of control” over how long you use the app, said Dr. Michael Tsappis, co-director of the Clinic for Interactive Media and Internet Disorders at Boston Children’s Hospital.

Lisi German, 17, a high school student in Ladera Ranch, Calif., said she spends at least an hour and a half on TikTok every day. Ms. German, who has attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, said her urge to scroll on the app made it even harder to manage her time and get homework done. Sometimes, she said, she thinks she’s been on TikTok for just 10 minutes — but she’ll soon realize it’s been an hour.

Research suggests that those with mental health conditions such as A.D.H.D., anxiety and depression may be more likely to overindulge in social media, Dr. Tsappis said, but anyone is susceptible to problematic use.

For the millions of TikTok users in the United States, losing access could lead to feelings of anxiety or irritability as they adjust to life without an app they used often, said Dr. Anna Lembke, a professor of psychiatry and addiction medicine at Stanford University School of Medicine. But experts said that a ban could also present an opportunity for people to re-examine social media’s role in their lives.

Ms. Kalata, who has about 31,000 followers on the platform, has done just that. She won’t try to move her following somewhere else — ideally, she would like to get off social media altogether.

“But since I’m already so obsessed with TikTok,” she said, “I feel like that’ll be hard.”

The Supreme Court has just ruled on the potential ban of TikTok in the United States, and the decision has sent shockwaves through the tech world. Stay tuned for live updates on the ruling and what’s next for the popular social media platform.

– The Supreme Court has ruled in a 5-4 decision to uphold the ban on TikTok, citing national security concerns. The ban will go into effect immediately, and users will no longer be able to download or access the app in the United States.

– TikTok has released a statement expressing disappointment in the ruling and vowing to fight the ban through legal channels. The company is exploring all options to continue operating in the US.

– Users are scrambling to find alternatives to TikTok, with many turning to other social media platforms like Instagram and Snapchat. Some are also considering using VPNs to bypass the ban and access TikTok from other countries.

– Experts are debating the implications of the Supreme Court’s decision, with some arguing that it sets a dangerous precedent for government censorship of online platforms. Others believe that the ban is necessary to protect national security interests.

– As the situation continues to unfold, stay tuned for more updates on the TikTok ban and what it means for the future of social media in the US. Let us know your thoughts on the ruling and how it will impact your online experience.

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January 17, 2025
Supreme Court says TikTok can be banned in the US, leaving its future in limbo

CNN
—

The Supreme Court ruled Friday that a controversial ban on TikTok may take effect this weekend, rejecting an appeal from the popular app’s owners that claimed the ban violated the First Amendment.

The court handed down an unsigned opinion and there were no noted dissents.

The decision, which followed warnings from the Biden administration that the app posed a “grave” national security threat because of its ties to China, will allow the ban to start Sunday. But there are a lot of lingering questions about how the ban would work in practice because there’s no precedent for the US government blocking a major social media platform. And how exactly the government would enforce it remains unclear.

In its opinion, the Supreme Court acknowledged that for 170 million Americans TikTok offers “a distinctive and expansive outlet for expression, means of engagement, and source of community.”

But the court said, Congress was focused on national security concerns and that, the court said, was a deciding factor in how it weighed the case.

“Congress has determined that divestiture is necessary to address its well-supported national security concerns regarding TikTok’s data collection practices and relationship with a foreign adversary,” the court wrote.

The ruling also puts the spotlight on President-elect on Donald Trump.

In the runup to the ban’s effective date, President Joe Biden’s administration signaled it would leave enforcement of the ban to Trump, who will be inaugurated on Monday. Despite that, TikTok has said it may “go dark” when the ban takes effect.

A Biden administration official told CNN Thursday that the outgoing president plans to leave it to Trump to enforce any ban.

“Our position on this has been clear: TikTok should continue to operate under American ownership,” a Biden administration official said. “Given the timing of when it goes into effect over a holiday weekend a day before inauguration, it will be up to the next administration to implement.”

TikTok CEO Shou Chew is set to be seated on the dais, alongside other leading tech CEOs, at Trump’s inauguration — perhaps a sign of just how serious the incoming president is about trying to save the app.

And with some in Congress now suggesting that TikTok might need more time to find a buyer, Trump could find support in trying to push off the ban to a later date.

The law gives the president the option to extend the ban by 90 days, but triggering the extension requires evidence that parties working on purchasing have made significant progress, including binding legal agreements for such a deal — and TikTok’s parent company, ByteDance, hasn’t publicly updated its stance that the app is not for sale.

CNN’s Clare Duffy contributed to this report.

This story is breaking and will be updated.

In a shocking turn of events, the Supreme Court has ruled that TikTok can be banned in the United States, leaving its future in limbo. This decision comes after months of legal battles between the popular social media platform and the Trump administration.

The Trump administration had argued that TikTok posed a national security threat due to its Chinese ownership, and had attempted to ban the app from app stores in the US. However, lower courts had blocked these efforts, leading to the case being taken up by the Supreme Court.

With this ruling, TikTok’s future in the US is uncertain. While the app remains available for now, it is unclear how long that will last. Users are left wondering if they will soon have to find alternative platforms for their social media needs.

The decision has sparked outrage among TikTok users and supporters, who argue that the app provides a valuable platform for creativity and connection. Many are concerned about the implications of the ruling for free speech and the future of social media in the US.

As TikTok’s fate hangs in the balance, only time will tell what the future holds for the popular app. Will it be able to weather this storm and continue to thrive, or will it be forced to shut down in the US? Only time will tell.

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January 17, 2025
Supreme Court rules to uphold TikTok ban, setting stage for shutdown

The Supreme Court has upheld the law requiring China-based ByteDance to divest its ownership of TikTok by Sunday or face an effective ban of the popular social video app in the U.S.

ByteDance has so far refused to sell TikTok, meaning many U.S. users could lose access to the app this weekend. The app may still work for those who already have TikTok on their phones, although ByteDance has also threatened to shut the app down.

The Supreme Court sided with the Biden administration, upholding the Protecting Americans from Foreign Adversary Controlled Applications Act which President Joe Biden signed in April.

Under the terms of the law, third-party internet service providers like Apple and Google will be penalized for supporting a ByteDance-owned TikTok after the Jan. 19 deadline.

If internet service providers and app store owners comply, they will remove TikTok from their respective app stores, preventing users from downloading TikTok or installing the necessary updates that make the app functional.

TikTok’s fate in the U.S. now lies in the hands of President-elect Donald Trump, who in December asked the Supreme Court to pause the law’s implementation and allow his administration “the opportunity to pursue a political resolution of the questions at issue in the case.”

Trump will be inaugurated on Monday, one day after the TikTok deadline for a sale. TikTok CEO Shou Chew is one of several tech leaders expected to be in attendance, seated on the dais.

In December, members of the House Select Committee on the Chinese Communist Party sent letters to Apple CEO Tim Cook and Google CEO Sundar Pichai in which they urged the executives to begin preparing to comply with the law and reminded them of their duties as app store operators.

Last Friday, the Supreme Court heard oral arguments from lawyers representing TikTok, content creators and the U.S. government. TikTok’s lead lawyer, Noel Francisco, argued that the law violates the First Amendment rights of the app’s 170 million American users. Meanwhile, U.S. Solicitor General Elizabeth Prelogar countered that the app’s alleged ties to the People’s Republic of China via its parent ByteDance poses a national security threat.

After the oral arguments concluded, multiple legal experts believed that the nation’s highest court appeared to be more favorable to the U.S. government’s case involving TikTok’s alleged questionable ties to the Chinese government.

Many TikTok creators have been telling their fans to find them on competing social platforms like Google’s YouTube and Meta’s Facebook and Instagram, CNBC reported. Additionally, Instagram leaders scheduled meetings after last Friday’s Supreme Court hearing to direct workers to prepare for a wave of users if the court upholds the law, the CNBC report said.

Chinese social media app and TikTok-lookalike RedNote rose to the top of Apple’s app store on Monday, indicating that TikTok’s millions of users were seeking alternatives.

The Chinese government also weighed a contingency plan that would have Elon Musk acquire TikTok’s U.S. operations as part of several options intended to keep the app from its effective ban in the U.S., Bloomberg News reported on Monday. The plan was one of several that the Chinese government was considering as part of larger discussions involving working with the upcoming Trump White House, the report said.

WATCH: SCOTUS hears TikTok ban case.

The Supreme Court has made a controversial decision to uphold the ban on popular social media app TikTok, setting the stage for a potential shutdown of the platform. The ruling comes after months of legal battles and national security concerns raised by the Trump administration.

Despite efforts by TikTok’s parent company, ByteDance, to address these concerns and negotiate a compromise, the Supreme Court’s decision to uphold the ban has sparked outrage among millions of users and fans of the app.

The ruling has also raised questions about the limits of government intervention in the tech industry and the implications for free speech and innovation. As TikTok faces an uncertain future, many are left wondering what this decision means for the future of social media and online platforms.

Stay tuned for updates on this developing story as we await further developments and potential repercussions of the Supreme Court’s decision.

Tags:

Supreme Court, TikTok ban, TikTok shutdown, Supreme Court ruling, social media ban, TikTok news, technology news, legal news, court decision, digital media, internet regulations

#Supreme #Court #rules #uphold #TikTok #ban #setting #stage #shutdown

January 17, 2025
Instagram and YouTube Prepare to Benefit if TikTok Is Banned
On Wednesday afternoon, executives at Meta held a Q&A session with some of its employees about the state of American politics.

Alex Schultz, the chief marketing officer, addressed questions about Meta’s embrace of the incoming Trump administration and what he said was the company’s precarious standing overseas, according to two attendees. He also said that Meta was paying close attention to the fate of one of its greatest competitors: TikTok.

Depending on what happened to TikTok, which is owned by the Chinese company ByteDance and faces a ban in the United States, Meta needed to prepare for what could be a seismic shift in how Americans used social media, Mr. Schultz said. Meta had the potential to benefit, but he said the company needed to be ready.

Meta, which owns Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp and Threads, has a particular interest in the outcome. The Silicon Valley giant — along with Google’s YouTube and other social media apps — may stand to benefit if a law banning TikTok from the United States takes effect on Sunday, leaving TikTok’s 170 million monthly U.S. users high and dry. The Supreme Court is expected to rule soon on whether the federal law in question is constitutional.

In private, Meta has dispatched teams to prepare for scooping up as many so-called TikTok refugees as possible, three people familiar with the plans said. That includes doing more to court TikTok’s popular influencers and possibly further tweaking Instagram to make certain features more familiar to heavy users of TikTok, they said. Instagram offers Reels, a short-form video product that competes with TikTok.

“Instagram is a natural home” for TikTok creators and users, said Richard Kramer, a financial analyst at Arete Research. “Like TikTok, the app has online shopping and robust user engagement.”

YouTube has also made changes to its app — particularly YouTube Shorts, which provides users with quick vertical videos — to appeal to TikTok creators. In October, YouTube expanded the maximum length of YouTube Shorts videos to three minutes, up from one, to capture creators accustomed to TikTok, where videos can stretch up to 10 minutes. This week, YouTube invited some creators who use its app and TikTok to a YouTube Shopping “boot camp” program to get up and running on the platform.

In a statement, a Meta spokesman said the company was “following the news.” He added, “Like other apps and services in this highly-competitive space, we’re of course assessing what various potential scenarios could mean for our products.”

A YouTube spokeswoman said the company regularly runs boot camps to inform creators about product features and formats.

For years, Meta and Google have prepared for the possibility of a TikTok ban in the United States. Their planning kicked into high gear in April, when President Biden signed a bill into law that would force ByteDance to sell TikTok to non-Chinese owners or face a ban in the United States. TikTok sued the federal government to challenge the law, with the case eventually landing in the Supreme Court.

In public, Meta and Google have remained relatively quiet on what may happen if TikTok is banished from the United States, but they have been active behind the scenes, said three people familiar with the companies’ plans.

At the Meta meeting on Wednesday led by Mr. Schultz, executives discussed how to divvy up internal resources — including workers and financial support — partly to deal with a potential influx of TikTok users, the two employees familiar with the call said. Some teams have discussed how to help TikTok users transition to Instagram, including by potentially bringing some of their TikTok videos to Instagram, the people said.

Instagram and YouTube would both gain “incrementally” more revenue and time spent on their apps by users if TikTok is banned, John Blackledge, an analyst at the investment firm TD Cowen, said in an interview. But Instagram has the edge, he said.

U.S. internet users said they would most likely watch Instagram Reels after TikTok’s ban, according to TD Cowen’s recent survey of 2,500 consumers. Reels would attract 29 percent of respondents, while 23 percent said they would spend more time on YouTube Shorts, and 15 percent would look for a new app, according to the survey.

Among advertisers, Instagram’s advantage appeared even starker, with 56 percent of ad buyers telling TD Cowen in a survey last quarter that their clients most wanted to advertise on Reels this year. Another 24 percent prioritized YouTube Shorts, while 20 percent preferred TikTok.

Meta and Google are not the only companies trying to capitalize on TikTok’s potential misfortune. On Saturday, Substack, the newsletter start-up, announced a $25,000 “TikTok Liberation Prize,” which will be awarded to the creator whose video convinces the most TikTokers to post about joining Substack, no matter what happens to TikTok.

Clapper, a short-video app similar to TikTok, this week offered some creators $200 for each video they make that advertises its site as a destination for TikTok refugees. The company said the rate varied based on a creator’s content and following. And Xiaohongshu, a Chinese TikTok-like app known colloquially as “RedNote” in English, has also skyrocketed to the top of the App Store.

Still, which company may take over TikTok’s territory is far from settled. Sammi Scotto, who makes content for TikTok and helps other creators join social media platforms, said she was not putting all her eggs in one basket.

“I’ll be focused on Instagram, YouTube and LinkedIn,” she said, “but keeping my eye on the others.”

In recent days, there have been talks of a potential ban on the popular video-sharing app TikTok in several countries, including the United States. As a result, social media giants Instagram and YouTube are gearing up to potentially benefit from the platform’s absence.

With over 800 million active users worldwide, TikTok has quickly risen to become one of the most popular social media platforms, particularly among Gen Z and Millennials. Its short-form video format and viral challenges have captured the attention of users and advertisers alike.

If TikTok were to be banned, Instagram and YouTube are poised to attract a significant number of its users. Instagram has already launched its own short-form video feature, Reels, which allows users to create and discover short, entertaining videos. YouTube, on the other hand, has been focusing on expanding its Shorts feature to compete with TikTok.

Both platforms have the advantage of an existing user base and established advertising infrastructure, which could make them attractive alternatives for brands and creators looking to reach a wide audience.

While the fate of TikTok remains uncertain, Instagram and YouTube are ready to step in and capitalize on any potential void left by the popular app. Only time will tell if they will be able to successfully fill the shoes of TikTok and maintain the same level of engagement and popularity among users.

Tags:
1. Instagram
2. YouTube
3. TikTok ban
4. Social media
5. Video content
6. Influencer marketing
7. Digital marketing
8. Social media strategy
9. Content creation
10. Online video platform
#Instagram #YouTube #Prepare #Benefit #TikTok #Banned
January 17, 2025
Biden leaves TikTok ban decision to Trump administration
President Joe Biden won’t enforce a ban on the social media app TikTok that is set to take effect a day before he leaves office on Monday, a U.S. official said Thursday, leaving its fate in the hands of President-elect Donald Trump.Congress last year, in a law signed by Biden, required that TikTok’s China-based parent company ByteDance divest the company by Jan. 19, a day before the presidential inauguration. The official said the outgoing administration was leaving the implementation of the law — and the potential enforcement of the ban — to Trump.The official spoke on condition of anonymity in order to discuss internal Biden administration thinking.Trump, who once called to ban the app, has since pledged to keep it available in the U.S., though his transition team has not said how they intend to accomplish that.TikTok CEO Shou Zi Chew is expected to attend Trump’s inauguration and be granted a prime seating location on the dais as the president-elect’s national security adviser signals that the incoming administration may take steps to “keep TikTok from going dark.”Incoming national security adviser Mike Waltz on Thursday told Fox News Channel’s “Fox & Friends” that the federal law that could ban TikTok by Sunday also “allows for an extension as long as a viable deal is on the table.”The push to save TikTok, much like the move to ban it in the U.S., has crossed partisan lines. Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer said he spoke with Biden on Thursday to advocate for extending the deadline to ban TikTok.“It’s clear that more time is needed to find an American buyer and not disrupt the lives and livelihoods of millions of Americans, of so many influencers who have built up a good network of followers,” Schumer said Thursday on the Senate floor.Democrats had tried on Wednesday to pass legislation that would have extended the deadline, but Republican Sen. Tom Cotton of Arkansas blocked it. Cotton, chair of the Senate Intelligence Committee, said that TikTok has had ample time to find a buyer.“TikTok is a Chinese Communist spy app that addicts our kids, harvests their data, targets them with harmful and manipulative content, and spreads communist propaganda,” Cotton said.TikTok CEO’s is expected to be seated on the dais for the inauguration along with tech billionaires Elon Musk, who is CEO of SpaceX, Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg, OpenAI CEO Sam Altman and Amazon founder Jeff Bezos, according to two people with the matter. The people spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss internal planning.Last week, the Supreme Court heard oral arguments in a legal challenge to the statute brought by TikTok, its China-based parent company ByteDance, and users of the app. The Justices seemed likely to uphold the law, which requires ByteDance to divest TikTok on national security grounds or face a ban in one of its biggest markets.“If the Supreme Court comes out with a ruling in favor of the law, President Trump has been very clear: Number one, TikTok is a great platform that many Americans use and has been great for his campaign and getting his message out. But number two, he’s going to protect their data,” Waltz said on Wednesday.“He’s a deal maker. I don’t want to get ahead of our executive orders, but we’re going to create this space to put that deal in place,” he added.Separately on Wednesday, Pam Bondi, Trump’s pick for attorney general, dodged a question during a Senate hearing on whether she’d uphold a TikTok ban.Trump has reversed his position on the popular app, having tried to ban it during his first term in office over national security concerns. He joined TikTok during his 2024 presidential campaign and his team used it to connect with younger voters, especially male voters, by pushing content that was often macho and aimed at going viral. He pledged to “save TikTok” during the campaign and has credited the platform with helping him win more youth votes.

WASHINGTON —

President Joe Biden won’t enforce a ban on the social media app TikTok that is set to take effect a day before he leaves office on Monday, a U.S. official said Thursday, leaving its fate in the hands of President-elect Donald Trump.

Congress last year, in a law signed by Biden, required that TikTok’s China-based parent company ByteDance divest the company by Jan. 19, a day before the presidential inauguration. The official said the outgoing administration was leaving the implementation of the law — and the potential enforcement of the ban — to Trump.

The official spoke on condition of anonymity in order to discuss internal Biden administration thinking.

Trump, who once called to ban the app, has since pledged to keep it available in the U.S., though his transition team has not said how they intend to accomplish that.

TikTok CEO Shou Zi Chew is expected to attend Trump’s inauguration and be granted a prime seating location on the dais as the president-elect’s national security adviser signals that the incoming administration may take steps to “keep TikTok from going dark.”

Incoming national security adviser Mike Waltz on Thursday told Fox News Channel’s “Fox & Friends” that the federal law that could ban TikTok by Sunday also “allows for an extension as long as a viable deal is on the table.”

The push to save TikTok, much like the move to ban it in the U.S., has crossed partisan lines. Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer said he spoke with Biden on Thursday to advocate for extending the deadline to ban TikTok.

“It’s clear that more time is needed to find an American buyer and not disrupt the lives and livelihoods of millions of Americans, of so many influencers who have built up a good network of followers,” Schumer said Thursday on the Senate floor.

Democrats had tried on Wednesday to pass legislation that would have extended the deadline, but Republican Sen. Tom Cotton of Arkansas blocked it. Cotton, chair of the Senate Intelligence Committee, said that TikTok has had ample time to find a buyer.

“TikTok is a Chinese Communist spy app that addicts our kids, harvests their data, targets them with harmful and manipulative content, and spreads communist propaganda,” Cotton said.

TikTok CEO’s is expected to be seated on the dais for the inauguration along with tech billionaires Elon Musk, who is CEO of SpaceX, Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg, OpenAI CEO Sam Altman and Amazon founder Jeff Bezos, according to two people with the matter. The people spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss internal planning.

Last week, the Supreme Court heard oral arguments in a legal challenge to the statute brought by TikTok, its China-based parent company ByteDance, and users of the app. The Justices seemed likely to uphold the law, which requires ByteDance to divest TikTok on national security grounds or face a ban in one of its biggest markets.

“If the Supreme Court comes out with a ruling in favor of the law, President Trump has been very clear: Number one, TikTok is a great platform that many Americans use and has been great for his campaign and getting his message out. But number two, he’s going to protect their data,” Waltz said on Wednesday.

“He’s a deal maker. I don’t want to get ahead of our executive orders, but we’re going to create this space to put that deal in place,” he added.

Separately on Wednesday, Pam Bondi, Trump’s pick for attorney general, dodged a question during a Senate hearing on whether she’d uphold a TikTok ban.

Trump has reversed his position on the popular app, having tried to ban it during his first term in office over national security concerns. He joined TikTok during his 2024 presidential campaign and his team used it to connect with younger voters, especially male voters, by pushing content that was often macho and aimed at going viral. He pledged to “save TikTok” during the campaign and has credited the platform with helping him win more youth votes.

In a surprising twist, President-elect Joe Biden has announced that he will not make a decision on the TikTok ban and will instead leave it up to the Trump administration to handle.

Many were expecting Biden to reverse the ban on the popular social media app, which has been a source of controversy and tension between the US and China. However, Biden’s decision to defer to the current administration has left many scratching their heads.

Some speculate that this move is an attempt to avoid taking a stance on a divisive issue and instead focus on more pressing matters facing the country. Others believe that Biden may be trying to maintain a sense of continuity and stability in the transition of power.

Regardless of the reasoning behind Biden’s decision, it is clear that the fate of TikTok remains uncertain. Will the Trump administration move forward with the ban, or will they reconsider in light of Biden’s hands-off approach? Only time will tell.

Tags:
1. Biden administration
2. TikTok ban
3. Trump administration
4. Social media
5. Technology
6. US politics
7. Internet security
8. Digital policy
9. Executive order
10. Online privacy.
#Biden #leaves #TikTok #ban #decision #Trump #administration
January 17, 2025
How old are Tyler and Gabby from TikTok? Age difference explored as ‘tallest couple’ on the platform announce break up

TikTok couple Tyler and Gabby have called it quits just seven months into their relationship. Tyler Bergantino and Gabby Gonzalez took to their respective accounts on the platform on Thursday, January 2, 2024, to announce their breakup.

“Gabby and I broke up, we had a lot of different beliefs,” Bergantino explained before adding, “The distance — not only physically but where we were at in our life — I think just ended up being too much, (and) that’s okay.”

According to a report by Swoon.com, many fans of the internet personality believe Tyler could be referencing their age difference of 10 years (Tyler is 31 while Gabby is 21). Gonzalez, for her part, noted:

“I need to make this video before I can close out this chapter of my life because we did choose to make our relationship extremely public… I wish him nothing but the best. He’s just not my person and I am not his.”

Tyler and Gabby went viral in early June 2024 when they appeared together for a man-on-the-street interview in Miami, Florida. The conversation centered around their heights—Tyler is 6’9″, while Gabby is 6’1″. Eagle-eyed fans were quick to notice their chemistry. By the end of the month, the pair announced their relationship.

Tyler and Gabby’s first date was at a Justin Timberlake concert

In her announcement video, Gabby Gonzalez thanked her fans for being accepting of their relationship, noting that she and Tyler Bergantino were initially skeptical of going public about their relationship.

In his announcement, Tyler told his followers that despite things not working out for them, this didn’t mean “random encounters” leading to “love” didn’t exist. Both Tyler and Gabby wished each other the best for their respective futures.

Tyler and Gabby were unofficially dubbed as the tallest couple on TikTok. Tyler was the first to go public about their relationship in a 4-minute-long video. Per a June 2024 article by Dextro, he explained that their first date was at a Justin Timberlake concert.

While initially, the couple shared content surrounding their relationship and milestones, by July, the couple had started a podcast titled Gabby and Tyler’s Unnamed Podcast. During the first episode, Gabby spoke about meeting Tyler and going viral online, calling it a “miraculous blessing.”

“What a lot of people don’t understand is yeah, it’s amazing that (everything’s) blown up and hitting a million likes is great, but I found someone that I see as a life partner through all this.”

Bergantino agreed, adding it felt “epic.

During the podcast, Tyler and Gabby discussed how their relationship differed from their past romances, something the pair had previously kept private.

Bergantino explained that this was the first time he went public with his love life, as it was hard for his partners to deal with “attention and stuff,” adding that “too much could get caught in the crossfire.” Gonzalez continued that in their case:

“We don’t care about the attention. It’s accessible and it’s been there. Before all this we both had somewhat of a following. We both understood social media and the attention.”

Tyler and Gabby explained that working together helped them build a “deeper connection.”

The couple has not shared any other updates.