The Supreme Court's rejection of TikTok's appeal paves the way for a potential ban on the platform in the U.S., starting Sunday, January 19th. The court unanimously dismissed TikTok's First Amendment challenge, citing the platform's scale, susceptibility to foreign control, and the vast amount of sensitive data it collects as justification for the ban.
Despite Trump's previous opposition to a complete ban, the possibility of a 60-90 day delay via executive order remains. Reports suggest Trump is engaging in discussions with Chinese officials regarding the matter. The willingness of China to sell TikTok entirely to a Western entity is uncertain, but reports indicate this is a possibility. Elon Musk, with his ties to the incoming administration, is reportedly being considered as a potential intermediary in facilitating a sale.
In anticipation of a potential ban, TikTok users have migrated to alternative platforms like Red Note (Xiaohongshu), with reports indicating a significant surge in new users.
The future of TikTok in the U.S. hinges on a sale to a new owner or a last-minute executive order from the Trump administration. Otherwise, the app faces a complete shutdown.