The US Supreme Court has ruled that TikTok’s request for an emergency injunction to halt its ban in the United States does not breach the First Amendment. As a result, the ban outlined in the Protecting Americans from Foreign Adversary Controlled Applications Act, which was enacted in April 2024, will come into force on Sunday, January 19, 2025. This could disrupt services for roughly 170 million TikTok users in the US.
Key Provisions of the Act
The Act mandates that TikTok must either sell its US operations to a buyer friendly to American interests, stop all activities in the US, or risk facing a hefty fine of half a trillion dollars. It has been determined that TikTok has unlawfully transmitted data regarding American users to China, posing a significant national security risk as this information can be accessed by the Chinese communist regime. Additionally, Canada has already ordered the shutdown of TikTok’s operations within its borders due to similar security worries.
Growing Concerns Over Social Media Use
Furthermore, TikTok, along with other social media platforms, has been identified as detrimental to users who often find themselves addicted to scrolling through endless feeds for hours on end. In light of these issues, Australia has enacted a law that prohibits individuals under the age of 16 from using social media.
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