The U.S. Supreme Court appeared likely on Friday to uphold a law that could ban or force the sale of TikTok by January 19. Justices debated the app’s national security risks and potential free speech violations during 2.5 hours of arguments.
TikTok’s Chinese parent company, ByteDance, faced scrutiny for its ties to China’s government. Chief Justice John Roberts asked whether the platform could be exploited for spying or influence operations. Justice Brett Kavanaugh raised concerns about data collected from TikTok’s 170 million American users, half the U.S. population.
TikTok’s lawyers argued the law violates First Amendment protections, while the Biden administration defended it as necessary to protect U.S. interests. Some justices considered a temporary freeze on the law.
The case highlights growing tensions between the U.S. and China, with national security clashing against free speech. Republican President Donald Trump urged delaying the ban to allow a political resolution. The court’s decision is expected soon.
