TikTok: Trump considers reversing SCOTUS ban on popular app, but questions remain

by Summer Lane

Photo: Alamy

On Friday, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled to uphold a nationwide ban on the popular social media app, TikTok, which affects tens of millions of users and has sparked a discussion on whether such a legislative-induced ban on the platform is a violation of the First Amendment.

According to The New York Times, the court sided with Congress, stating in its decision, “But Congress has determined that divestiture is necessary to address its well-supported national security concerns regarding TikTok’s data collection practices and relationship with a foreign adversary.”

Congress passed a bill in 2024 that ordered the social media giant to divest from its Chinese-linked parent company, ByteDance, or halt operations within the U.S. This bill was the result of years of criticism over the short-form video platform based on concerns that it is vulnerable to Chinese influence. However, there has been much debate on this subject.

Many other apps and sites in the United States are also vulnerable to outside influences. Even Bloomberg pointed this out in 2023, when concerns were also raised about the safety and security of Meta, Amazon, Google and Apple.

Is TikTok worse than these other apps? It’s unclear, but American companies who continue to offer TikTok in their App Stores will be fined $5,000 for each user who is able to download it, according to NPR. That’s a steep price to pay, and it spells imminent doom for TikTok in the United States.

Will President Donald Trump consider reversing the SCOTUS ban on the app, given the debate surrounding the situation? He released a statement on Friday noting that the court’s decision should be respected. “My decision on TikTok will be made in the not too distant future, but I must have time to review the situation. Stay tuned!” he wrote on Truth Social.

Whether TikTok makes a comeback remains to be seen, but with so many unanswered questions in the debate surrounding the platform’s Chinese connections, perhaps other powerful apps and platforms will be examined, as well.

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