The US Supreme Court has upheld a law that prohibits TikTok in the US unless its China-based parent company ByteDance sells the platform by this Sunday.
TikTok had contested the law, stating it would infringe upon free speech protections for its claimed 170 million US users.
Despite TikTok's arguments, the nation's highest court unanimously rejected them, compelling TikTok to find an approved buyer for the US app version or risk removal from app stores and web hosting services.
The White House announced that the responsibility to enforce the law would fall to the incoming administration of President Donald Trump, set to take office on Monday. Trump pledged to reach a decision in the "not too distant future."
TikTok CEO Shou Zi Chew, who is anticipated to attend Trump's inauguration alongside other prominent figures, expressed gratitude to the incoming president for his willingness to collaborate with the app and maintain its availability in the US.
Lawmakers from both Democratic and Republican parties voted to ban the video-sharing app due to concerns regarding its ties to the Chinese government. However, TikTok has repeatedly denied sharing information with Beijing.
Enacted in April last year, the law grants ByteDance until January 19, 2025, to sell the US platform or face a potential ban. As of Sunday, new users will no longer be able to download the app or receive security updates—a move that could lead to its eventual demise.
ByteDance has vowed against selling TikTok, intending to shut down its US operations on Sunday unless granted a reprieve.
The Supreme Court, ruling without dissent, affirmed that the law does not violate the First Amendment's free speech protection in the US Constitution.
Additionally, the Court echoed a lower court's decision supporting the statute after it was challenged by ByteDance.
The lawmakers stated, Congress has established that divestiture is necessary to address well-founded national security concerns regarding TikTok's data practices and its relations with a foreign adversary.
In response to the Supreme Court ruling, White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre stated that President Joe Biden's stance on TikTok has been clear: the app should remain accessible to Americans under American ownership or ownership addressing the identified national security concerns.
Acknowledging the timing constraints, Jean-Pierre added that the implementation of the law would defer to the upcoming administration, commencing its duties on Monday.