Popular social networking platform TikTok warned of an imminent shutdown for its 170 million users in the US after the Supreme Court upheld its sell-or-ban law.
According to foreign media, the law forces the parent company in China to sell the platform by January 19 – the day before Donald Trump returns as US President – or face a nationwide ban.
“There is no doubt that, for more than 170 million Americans, TikTok offers a unique and vast avenue for expression, a means of engagement, and a community resource,” the Supreme Court wrote in a unanimous opinion published Friday. “But Congress has determined that the override is necessary to address its well-founded national security concerns about TikTok’s data collection practices and relationships with a foreign adversary,” the statement continued.
After the decision, Joe Biden's administration said the outgoing president would not enforce the ban during his remaining days in office, writes A2 CNN.
But TikTok said statements from the White House and the Justice Department had “failed to provide the necessary clarity and certainty to service providers that are integral to maintaining TikTok’s availability” in the US. It added: “If the Biden administration does not immediately issue a definitive statement to satisfy the most critical service providers by ensuring non-compliance, TikTok will unfortunately be forced to disappear on January 19th.”
Under the terms of the law, without sales, it will be illegal for companies to offer video app distribution services, or face fines of $5,000 per user.
It remains unclear whether tech groups like Apple, Google and Oracle, which provide such services to TikTok in the US, would take the risk of continuing to partner with the company over the weekend. It is also unclear whether the app could be taken offline intentionally to protect its partners, writes A2 CNN.
In a video posted on TikTok after the court ruling, group CEO Shou Zi Chew gave no guarantee whether the app would continue to operate in the US on Sunday, but praised Trump.
Trump said in a post on Truth Social after the decision that his "decision on TikTok will be made in the not too distant future, but I need time to review the situation," adding that the court's decision was "expected and everyone should respect it." (A2 Televizion)
A2 CNN Livestream
MUND TE LEXONI GJITHASHTU
