Shortly after the Supreme Court upheld a law banning TikTok on Friday, the company’s CEO Shou Chew published a video to thank President-elect Donald Trump for showing supporting to the app.
“I want to thank President Trump for his commitment to work with us to find a solution that keeps TikTok available in the United States,” Chew said in the video, per NBC News. “This is a strong stand for the First Amendment and against arbitrary censorship.”
President Joe Biden confirmed on Friday morning that the implementation of the ban would be Trump’s responsibility after he takes office on Monday. Trump has previously hinted that he may support TikTok, but it’s still not clear what he will do. In the meantime, Chew appears to be optimistic.
“We are grateful and pleased to have the support of a president who truly understands our platform—one who has used TikTok to express his own thoughts and perspectives, connecting with the world and generating more than 60 billion views of his content in the process,” Chew said.
@tiktok Our response to the Supreme Court decision.
Although the ban is set to effect on Jan. 19, TikTok will likely continue to operate uninterrupted in the U.S. until Trump decides whether or not he will enforce it. Trump tried to ban the app during his first term, but he was unsuccessful. Trump took a different stance during his 2024 campaign as he joined the app and said he would “save TikTok.”
“The Supreme Court decision was expected, and everyone must respect it. My decision on TikTok will be made in the not too distant future, but I must have time to review the situation. Stay tuned!” Trump said in a statement on Truth Social on Friday, per NBC News.
After upholding the ban against TikTok on Friday, the justices once again cited security concerns with the app.
“There is no doubt that, for more than 170 million Americans, TikTok offers a distinctive and expansive outlet for expression, means of engagement, and source of community,” they wrote in an unsigned opinion, per Deadline. “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. For the foregoing reasons, we conclude that the challenged provisions do not violate petitioners’ First Amendment rights.”
As Blavity reported, social media users are flocking to Red Note, another Chinese-owned app, as the future of TikTok in the U.S. remains unclear. At least 700,000 new users have joined RedNote this week, according to Reuters.
