Mosteverybodyusessocial media in one way or another. One social media app that took the world by storm is TikTok. Billions of people use it to scroll through videos and pass the time. Even if someone doesn’t have the app, they have heard about it.
On January 17, the Supreme Court upheld a law banning TikTok. Congress originally banned TikTok unless the app’s China-based parent company, ByteDance, sold the company.
TikTok challenged the ban, stating that it trampled on American’s right to free speech.
The Supreme Court said they understood the heartbreak that banning the social media platform would cause, but did so for the country’s own good.
'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,' the Supreme Court said. '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.'
Content creators were more heartbroken than the users amid the news of the ban. Some creators use the app as their means of earning money. Kalani Smith, a TikTok creator with more than three million followers, said she was homeless before TikTok saved her life. She said she’s worried about her future.
Saturday night, the app went dark. Users who tried to accesstheappwasmetwitha with an announcement.
'A law banning TikTok has been enacted in the US. Unfortunately that means youcan'tuseTikTokfornow.'
Then, on Sunday, the app was live again. When users first signed on after the ban, they received a welcome back message.
'Thanks for your patience and support,” the message read. “As a result of President Trump's efforts, TikTok is back in the US.'
For some users, that excitement was short-lived. The app was only available for people who hadn’t deleted the app from their phones yet. It was still unavailable to download in from the app stores in the US.
Trump made a statement about the ban. He said for one of his first acts as president, he would extend the period of time before the ban is introduced. He said his goal is to “can make a deal to protect our national security'.
Trump said the executive order would give TikTok time to find a US partner to buy half of the company to keep Americans safe.
'I would like the United States to have a 50% ownership position in a joint venture. By doing this, we save TikTok, keep it in good hands and allow it to stay up,' he said.