The Incoming President Trump Requests Postponement of Supreme Court Decision on TikTok Restriction
The Incoming President Trump Requests Postponement of Supreme Court Decision on TikTok Restriction
The latest twist in the TikTok situation has taken a new direction. President-elect Donald Trump has petitioned the Supreme Court to halt a decision, delaying a verdict on whether TikTok can continue listing on app markets or if it should be sold earlier in the new year.
This situation has been unfolding for several months now. Let me provide you with a crude overview of how it has unfolded so far, along with some conjectures as to how it might all conclude.
How the TikTok ban controversy began
I first pondered the possibility of a TikTok ban way back in 2022, following talks in Congress about prohibiting the application on government-owned devices. That legislation eventually came to fruition in 2023, but in April of this year, the House of Representatives approved a bill that aimed to ban TikTok entirely. TikTok's parent company, ByteDance, was given till January 19 to sell the application. App stores faced hefty fines for allowing users to download the app.
The Senate subsequently adopted this measure, and then President Biden enacted the legislation that included a provision to extend the prohibition.
Not too long ago, an appellate court affirmed the measure once again, urging ByteDance to find a new owner and suggesting that users should explore alternative platforms.
How the TikTok ban tale might eventually conclude
I'm labeling this a tale because the TikTok ban is essentially about free expression versus foreign manipulation, particularly during election seasons. There are two distinct perspectives, and it seems that the Supreme Court will settle the matter.
On the one hand, users ought to have the right to choose which applications they employ. A free speech advocacy group has encouraged the Supreme Court to reconsider the prohibition. They contend that the federal government should not have the power to render applications illegal, viewing it as a dictatorial action.
On the contrary, worries about manipulation are justified. TikTok's algorithm is controlled by ByteDance, which is what they want to preserve. The algorithm is the mainstay of the app, determining what we see in our feeds based on our preferences.
The algorithm is where the true manipulation can take place. If a foreign entity wished to sway Americans, they could tamper with the algorithm to display specific content (for example, more posts from one particular candidate or viewpoint). This is the primary cause of concern in recent months and has propelled this debate all the way to the Supreme Court.
It's worth mentioning that President-elect Trump has strong opinions on this matter. According to a CNN report, Trump is a pioneer on social media platforms like TikTok; he claimed that his campaign enjoyed "billions" of views before the election.
Trump used to express reservations about TikTok's influence and tends to view everything through an "America first" lens. I'm speculating that his change of heart might be connected to those billions of views, which in part aided him in securing election victory.
I'm unsure if Trump will exert as much influence on the TikTok ban as he believes he can. To begin with, we're not dealing with elected officials or a federal agency he wields control over here.
I'll be intrigued to see if the Supreme Court even responds to Trump regarding the TikTok ban. Usually, they tend to proceed with their own business, particularly since it's their court.
TheSupreme Court is currently considering President-elect Biden's petition to halt the TikTok ban decision, which was initiated by President Trump. Despite President Trump's earlier opposition to TikTok due to its alleged influence and his desire to protect "America first," his influence over the Supreme Court's decision is uncertain.