The US Supreme Court has confirmed the possibility of a TikTok ban. It rejected the appeal of the Chinese-owned company, which argued that a shutdown would violate the First Amendment of the US Constitution.
The Biden administration had deemed the social media app a “serious” threat to national security due to Chinese influence and pushed for the US business to be either sold or shut down through Congress. However, the exact method of a shutdown remains unclear.
As the new US president, Donald Trump, is set to take office on Monday, it is likely to be up to him to enforce a ban, as a sale is not currently in sight. Trump has, however, signalled a willingness to negotiate. It is also expected that TikTok CEO Shou Chew will sit alongside other leading tech managers on the podium at Trump’s inauguration. TikTok is used by an estimated 170 million people in the US.