Supreme Court takes up challenge to TikTok ban

SUMMARY

The Supreme Court will address whether a law mandating TikTok to divest from its Chinese parent company or face a nationwide ban violates the First Amendment. TikTok argues the law infringes on free speech, but a federal appeals court recently upheld the measure, citing national security concerns as justification for its significant impact. The high-stakes case will involve oral arguments on January 10, ahead of a January 19 deadline for TikTok to comply. TikTok's emergency appeal to delay the deadline prompted the justices to place the case on their regular docket for expedited review. The U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit ruled earlier this month that the law aligns with constitutional principles due to overriding security threats. The decision could set a critical precedent for balancing digital platform freedoms against governmental regulatory power.