technology
WASHINGTON (AP) — The Supreme Court's decision could come Friday within the case of whether TikTok ought to be shut down in a couple of days under a federal law designed to force its sale by the Chinese company that owns the social media platform utilized by 170 have to be tens of millions of individuals within the USA
The justices are weighing a free speech challenge to the law, which takes effect Sunday, against the national security concerns that led to its passage with broad bipartisan support last yr. A lawyer for TikTok and ByteDance, its Chinese owner, told the court last week that TikTok will “disappear” on Sunday unless judges grant it a short lived reprieve or strike down the law.
During court hearings, most judges appeared prone to follow the law.
In addition to the continuing court case, a possible lifeline for TikTok has emerged. President-elect Donald Trump, who once favored banning the app, is exploring ways to “preserve” TikTok, his recent national security adviser, Florida Rep. Mike Waltz, said in a television interview on Wednesday.
It's not clear what authority Trump has to intervene, although he could order the Justice Department to not implement the law, threatening sanctions against the tech corporations that make available and host the app.
The Supreme Court announced Thursday that justices will make a minimum of one decision on Friday, sticking to its habit of not saying which one. But it also deviated from standard practice in some ways, increasing expectations that it would be the TikTok case that might be passed on.
Except as its term nears the top of June, the court almost at all times makes its decisions on days when justices are scheduled to take a seat. The next scheduled court day is Tuesday.
And apart from the coronavirus pandemic, when the court was closed, the justices almost at all times read summaries of their opinions within the courtroom. They won't be there on Friday.
All opinions might be posted on the court's website starting shortly after 10 a.m. EST on Friday.
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