TikTok Ban Uncertainty Looms as Trump Changes Stance on Social Media Platform
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The future of TikTok in the United States faces uncertainty following recent political developments. President Biden signed legislation requiring ByteDance to divest from TikTok by January 2025 or face a nationwide ban, affecting 170 million U.S. users.
President-elect Trump has shifted his stance since 2020, now expressing support for keeping TikTok operational in America. This change followed discussions with ByteDance investor Jeff Yass, with Trump explicitly stating in a September campaign video that voting for him would help "save TikTok."
TikTok has mounted legal challenges against the potential ban, arguing it violates First Amendment rights. The case is currently under review by the Court of Appeals in Washington D.C., with possible escalation to the Supreme Court. If pursued, this legal battle could delay any ban implementation until summer 2025.
Legal experts, including Alan Rozenshtein from the University of Minnesota Law School, suggest the Supreme Court may likely hear the case given its scale - affecting 170 million Americans - and its significance regarding First Amendment rights in the digital age.
TikTok employees remain cautiously optimistic, with internal discussions about the ban being minimal. According to anonymous sources within the company, most staff believe the extended legal process provides job security in the immediate future.
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