President-elect Donald Trump has voiced opposition to a law banning TikTok, calling on the Supreme Court to delay its enforcement. The controversial ban, which targets the popular social media platform, is due to take effect a day before Trump's inauguration. His legal team has requested time for the incoming administration to negotiate a resolution.
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The appeal follows a recent decision by an appeals court to uphold the law. In a friend-of-the-court brief, Trump's lawyers argued that enforcing the ban would obstruct the president's authority to oversee foreign policy, which they described as a key element of the executive branch's discretion.
'The federal government's effective shuttering of a social media platform used by 170 million Americans is sweeping and troubling,' the brief stated. It warned of the potential for setting 'a dangerous global precedent' by granting such expansive authority to shut down platforms based on concerns about their content.
The brief also highlighted concerns over potential violations of the First Amendment and suggested the law encroached upon presidential powers to manage critical geopolitical relationships, particularly with China.
The outgoing administration has defended the law, emphasising its importance to national security. Officials argue that TikTok, owned by Chinese tech giant ByteDance, collects sensitive data on millions of American users and could serve as a tool for foreign influence operations.
The legislation, passed by Congress and signed into law by President Joe Biden earlier this year, requires TikTok's Chinese parent company to divest its ownership of the app. ByteDance has stated it will not comply, citing the need for Chinese regulatory approval.
TikTok remains one of the most popular platforms among younger users in the United States and is a major hub for advertising, with brands leveraging influencers to promote their products. The debate over its fate has raised questions about the broader implications for free speech, consumer privacy, and international business relationships.
The Supreme Court's decision on whether to delay the ban is expected to have far-reaching consequences for TikTok and other tech platforms operating in politically sensitive contexts.
Source: www.designerstoday.com