Supreme Court hears TikTok case

WASHINGTON (Gray DC) - The fate of TikTok now in the hands of nine justices of the U.S. Supreme Court .

With just days until TikTok goes dark, the Supreme Court is skeptical about throwing the social media giant a lifeline.

During more than two hours of oral arguments, a majority of the Supreme Court justices appear to agree with the government’s position that TikTok, owned by a Chinese-based company ByteDance, poses a national security risk.

Solicitor General Elizabeth Prelogar told the court, “The Chinese government’s control of TikTok poses a grave threat to national security. No one disputes that. The PRC seeks to undermine U.S. interests by amassing vast quantities of sensitive data about Americans.”

Associate Justice Brett Kavanaugh posed this question to TikTok attorney Noel Francisco, “you acknowledge the risk that Congress and the president were concerned about. You’re just saying the means they chose to address that risk were, incorrect?” Francisco answeres, “So I had permissible. I mean, I certainly acknowledge the risk, but I think there are lots of reasons, not just the one I just gave, but there are lots of reasons.”

TikTok owner ByteDance counters that it is actually a U.S. company that is full First Amendment rights.

At issue is bipartisan legislation signed last April by President Biden that requires the parent company of TikTok to sell the app by January 19, 2025.

If it fails to do so by the deadline. TikTok essentially will be banned in the U.S.

Justice Kavanaugh asked, “If you lose this case, can you just spell that out? TikTok’s attorney Francisco replied, ”At least as I understand it. We go dark. Essentially, the platform shuts down.“

TikTok acknowledged that if it loses this case, it faces a very dim future. The Supreme Court expected to deliver its opinion within the next nine days at the Supreme Court.

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