The Supreme Court Justices appear poised to uphold the TikTok ban legislation signed by President Biden, which requires ByteDance to sell TikTok or face a U.S. ban by January 19.

During oral arguments, the justices expressed skepticism towards TikTok's First Amendment defense. Chief Justice John Roberts emphasized that Congress's focus isn't on TikTok's content but rather Chinese control of the platform, stating "They're not saying TikTok has to stop. They're saying the Chinese have to stop controlling TikTok."

The central debate revolves around whether national security concerns outweigh free speech issues. Justice Kavanaugh highlighted data collection as "a huge concern for the future of the country," noting potential risks of blackmail and espionage targeting future government officials.

U.S. Solicitor General Elizabeth Prelogar emphasized the bipartisan nature of the legislation, explaining that Congress united around concerns about Chinese control of the platform rather than content moderation issues.

Key points about the potential ban:

• Implementation date: July 19
• Affects 170 million U.S. users
• Requires removal from app stores
• ISPs must block web app access
• ByteDance must divest or cease U.S. operations

While former President Trump initially pushed for a TikTok ban in 2020, he has since shifted his stance after joining the platform, telling his 15 million followers he would "save TikTok" if elected.

Apple and Google have been notified to prepare for compliance with the new law in the coming weeks, should the Supreme Court uphold the ban.

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