Social media Tiktok goes before the US Supreme Court
Tiktok has appealed to the US Supreme Court. In doing so, the operators of the video app want to prevent an impending shutdown in the country at the last minute. The operators filed an emergency appeal.
16.12.2024, 23:17
16.12.2024, 23:29
SDA
According to a US law that came into force in April, the video app must change hands by January 19. Otherwise it will be banned from the app stores in the USA.
President Joe Biden can still extend the deadline by three months - but only if there are promising sales negotiations by then. So far, however, Tiktok has refused to even consider a change of ownership.
Last week, Tiktok failed in an appeal court with a lawsuit against the law. The app claims to have 170 million users in the USA.
Fears of Chinese influence and espionage
The video platform is owned by the China-based group Bytedance. The law refers to the risk of China gaining access to US data and exerting influence.
Tiktok argued before the Court of Appeal that the law violates the freedom of speech enshrined in the US Constitution. In its decision, however, it pointed out, among other things, that the law was in line with long-standing regulatory practice and that the US Congress did not want to suppress certain statements.
Tiktok helped Trump
Donald Trump, who will be sworn in as US President on January 20, failed in his first term of office in his attempt to force Tiktok to sell. During the election campaign, he spoke out against a ban on the platform. However, he cannot override the law.
"I have a warm place in my heart for Tiktok," said US President-elect Donald Trump at a press conference in the state of Florida on Monday when asked how he intended to prevent the impending end of the popular video app in the US. The online platform has been attributed a role in the Republican's electoral success among young voters.
More than half of young voters voted for Trump's Democratic opponent Kamala Harris in the US presidential election on November 5. However, the Republican made significant gains in this age group compared to the 2020 election - a trend that was also evident in other voter groups.
