On Monday, President-elect Donald Trump reportedly met with TikTok CEO Shou Zi Chew at Mar-a-Lago, Florida, as the company seeks intervention from the U.S. Supreme Court to prevent a looming ban.
What Happened: TikTok has requested the U.S. Supreme Court to halt a law that could ban the app by Jan. 19.
Taking to X, formerly Twitter, the TikTok Policy account said that the Supreme Court has a strong history of protecting Americans’ right to free speech.
“We are asking the Court to do what it has traditionally done in free speech cases: apply the most rigorous scrutiny to speech bans and conclude that it violates the First Amendment.”
The post also highlighted the potential economic impact, estimating significant revenue losses for small businesses and creators if the app is banned.
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Statement on Filing Application for Emergency Injunction Pending Appeal with the Supreme Court:
“”The Supreme Court has an established record of upholding Americans’ right to free speech. Today, we are asking the Court to do what it has traditionally done in free speech cases:…
— TikTok Policy (@TikTokPolicy) December 16, 2024
On the same day, Trump, who previously attempted to ban TikTok during his presidency, expressed a favorable view of the app, noting its popularity among young voters.
“We’ll take a look at TikTok,” he said, adding, “You know, I have a warm spot in my heart for TikTok.” His meeting with the TikTok CEO was confirmed by NBC News.
TikTok and Trump’s transition team did not immediately respond to Benzinga’s request for comments.
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Why It Matters: The law in question, the Protecting Americans from Foreign Adversary Controlled Applications Act, mandates ByteDance to sell TikTok or face removal from Google and Apple platforms in the U.S.
The U.S. Court of Appeals in Washington, D.C., earlier this month upheld this law, citing national security concerns.
The potential ban on TikTok, set to take effect on January 19, 2025, could have far-reaching consequences for the U.S. economy.
The ban could disrupt the operations of approximately seven million small and medium-sized businesses that rely on the platform for revenue and brand growth.
With TikTok’s potential exit, users may shift their attention to other platforms like YouTube, Reddit, and Snapchat.
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