ALBAWABA- TikTok is set to go dark in the United States on Sunday unless the Biden administration provides assurances to companies like Apple and Google that they will not face enforcement actions under a new law banning the app.
The Supreme Court on Friday unanimously upheld the ban on TikTok, citing national security concerns over its Chinese parent company, ByteDance.
The ban requires app store operators, including Apple and Google, to halt new downloads of TikTok or risk fines of $5,000 per user, potentially amounting to penalties as high as $850 billion.
The court emphasized that Congress deemed divestiture necessary due to concerns about TikTok’s data collection practices and its ties to a foreign adversary.
TikTok warned that without immediate guarantees from the administration, the app would shut down operations in the U.S. on January 19, leaving its 170 million American users in limbo.
The decision puts additional pressure on Big Tech companies with connections to ByteDance, including Apple, Google, Microsoft, and Amazon.
Experts warn that these firms face reputational and financial risks if they fail to sever ties with the Chinese company.
Geoffrey Cain, policy director at the Tech Integrity Project, stated, "Given the unanimous ruling that these Chinese firms are national security threats, it is time for Microsoft, Apple, Amazon, and others to cut ties."
The Biden administration has deferred enforcement of the law to President-elect Donald Trump, who will take office on Monday and pledge to save TikTok.
Senator Tom Cotton, a proponent of the ban, urged caution among companies, saying, "Penalties for companies like Apple and Google could be astronomical. Ignoring the law is not a viable option."
This ruling comes as TikTok’s future hangs in the balance, with ByteDance facing mounting pressure to divest.
