Staff Reports
In a desperate plea for survival, ByteDance, the driving force behind the increasingly controversial TikTok app, has turned to the Supreme Court in a bid to stave off an impending ban set by President Joe Biden’s administration. The deadline, looming ominously over the tech giant, demands that TikTok either be sold or face the chopping block by January 19. Clearly, this is not the ideal circumstance for a company that has become synonymous with viral dances and cooking hacks, especially when one-third of their daily users hail from the United States.
As anticipated, ByteDance’s legal eagles filed for an emergency stay, suggesting that the Supreme Court jump into action by January 6. The lawyers explained that the task of shutting down TikTok in the U.S. is no simple mission. Given the app’s popularity among millions of American users who have turned it into their go-to distraction during long meetings and family dinners, they believe a temporary suspension would severely jeopardize their business.
TikTok made a last-ditch effort on Dec. 16 to continue operating in the United States, asking the Supreme Court to temporarily block a law intended to force ByteDance, its China-based parent company, to divest the short-video app by Jan. 19 or face a ban https://t.co/3UupYAOkXu pic.twitter.com/UBB4lsA3Kx
— Reuters Legal (@ReutersLegal) December 17, 2024
The urgency of this request follows an unfavorable judgment from the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit, which roundly dismissed ByteDance’s claims that the legislation constituted a First Amendment violation. Those judges, apparently unimpressed with the tech giant’s arguments, made it crystal clear: no TikTok, no free speech violation.
ByteDance’s legal team is minimizing the situation with a call for “breathing room,” suggesting that a short delay would allow for a thorough review of the legislation and even leave time for the new administration—presumably one led by Donald Trump—to evaluate the matter in a cooler-headed environment. After all, how could a vital communication tool for Americans be shuttered without consideration? Because who doesn’t want to scroll through endless videos of people lip-syncing when they could be participating in actual conversations?
Interestingly enough, when one remembers Trump’s past criticism of TikTok, it becomes clear that he plays his cards close to the vest. While he has hinted at a certain fondness for the app—saying it may have helped him capture younger voters—his newly rekindled admiration is certainly worth noting. As Trump indulges in meetings with TikTok’s CEO and waxes nostalgic about his time on the platform, it seems like a game of politics, TikTok-style, is unfolding before everyone’s eyes. American users might be wondering if their ultimate fate hinges not just on national security concerns but on the whims of the previous president’s affection for viral content. What a world!
