On Thursday, the Supreme Court announced its intention to issue a decision on Friday, shortly before a federal law mandating the divestment or prohibition of the TikTok application is set to take effect.
The specific nature of the forthcoming decision was not disclosed; however, it follows oral arguments presented in the case concerning TikTok last week, as reported by the Associated Press.
The federal legislation, which obliges TikTok’s parent company, ByteDance, with ties to China, to divest its ownership or face a ban from U.S. app stores, is scheduled to be implemented on Sunday.
President-elect Donald Trump has requested a postponement of the law’s enforcement until after his inauguration on Monday and has indicated a willingness to allow the application to remain operational following his assumption of office, even under its current Chinese ownership.
The Supreme Court is currently deliberating whether the China-based application is safeguarded by the First Amendment, despite potential implications for national security.
The law was enacted in response to concerns regarding TikTok’s operations as a possible extension of the Chinese government.
Attorney General Merrick Garland has emphasized that the application poses a threat to national security. In contrast, the company has categorically denied any ownership or control by governmental or state-affiliated entities.
The justices of the Supreme Court appeared to be supportive of the legislation following the oral arguments, underscoring its focus on a foreign enterprise rather than an American company.
It’s not clear what authority Trump has to intervene, although he could direct the Justice Department not to enforce the law, which threatens sanctions against the technology companies that make the app available and host it.
The Supreme Court indicated Thursday that the justices will issue at least one decision Friday, adhering to its custom of not saying which one.
But it also departed from its usual practice in some respects, heightening the expectation that it’s the TikTok case that will be handed down.
Except for when the end of the term nears in late June, the court almost always issues decisions on days when the justices are scheduled to take the bench. The next scheduled court day is Tuesday.
