Supreme Court Decision on TikTok Could Set a Broad Precedent

WASHINGTON, Jan 11 – During Supreme Court deliberations on a law that mandates either the sale of TikTok by its Chinese parent company, ByteDance, or a nationwide ban on the app, a lawyer for the company warned of potential far-reaching consequences. The attorney argued that if Congress can impose such restrictions on TikTok, it could similarly target other businesses in the future.

The law, set for implementation by January 19, requires ByteDance to divest from TikTok on national security grounds. TikTok’s legal team contends that the law infringes on the First Amendment’s protections against government interference with free speech. Noel Francisco, representing TikTok, cautioned that allowing the law could pave the way for Congress to regulate other companies in a similar manner, citing hypothetical scenarios where foreign-owned entities are forced to act against their interests.

TikTok, which boasts 170 million users in the U.S., has been scrutinized by lawmakers over concerns that the Chinese government could exploit the app for espionage or propaganda. Despite bipartisan support for the measure, critics question its focus solely on TikTok while excluding other Chinese companies operating in the U.S., such as major online retailers.

Solicitor General Elizabeth Prelogar, speaking on behalf of the Biden administration, emphasized the importance of enforcing the law to compel ByteDance to divest. She argued that the law was essential to safeguarding national security, likening ByteDance’s control of TikTok to a tool for potential adversarial influence.

Should the ban take effect, major app platforms would no longer be allowed to offer TikTok downloads for new users. Existing users, however, could continue accessing the app, though its functionality would diminish over time without support from service providers.

The Supreme Court also debated whether concerns about covert influence campaigns justified the ban, with TikTok’s lawyer countering that such arguments could be applied broadly to many media platforms, making them a matter of protected speech under the First Amendment.

While President Biden supports the law, former President Donald Trump, who is set to take office after the deadline, has sought to delay its implementation. The law allows the president to extend the deadline under certain conditions, but ByteDance has shown no significant effort to comply with the sale requirement.

Justice Brett Kavanaugh raised questions about presidential discretion in enforcing the law, with Prelogar affirming that the president holds enforcement authority. TikTok’s legal team argued for an injunction to provide additional time for resolution, highlighting the need for balance between national security concerns and constitutional protections.