TikTok ban case: US Supreme Court begins hearing oral arguments

The US Supreme Court recently held a hearing on the matter, with Chief Justice John Roberts and Associate Justice Clarence Thomas expressing skepticism towards TikTok's challenge. They suggested that the law was aimed at ByteDance as a non-American entity, rather than TikTok's content.

The US government's TikTok ban, set for January 19, stems from concerns about Chinese data collection and espionage. The law requires TikTok to sell to a US company or shut down, which TikTok argues violates its First Amendment rights and those of its 170 million American users. TikTok's lawyer, Noel Francisco, claims the ban targets free speech, aiming to prevent exposure to Chinese misinformation. The US government defends the ban as vital for national security, citing TikTok's Chinese ownership as a "serious threat." ByteDance and China deny the allegations, and the Supreme Court will hear the case on January 10.