TikTok SCOTUS Live Blog: The Court Hears Arguments Over Potential Ban
Over two dozen political figures, non-profits, advocacy organizations and individuals have filed amicus briefs to the court expressing their views on the case. Fourteen are in support of TikTok, while nine are on the side of the Department of Justice. Essentially, they disagree on whether the importance of protecting freedom of speech outweighs America’s national security interests regarding China.
On TikTok’s side are staunch supporters of the First Amendment like the American Civil Liberties Union and the Cato Institute, a libertarian think tank. They argue the Supreme Court should strike down the divest-or-ban law because it infringes on the right to freedom of expression. On the other side are a coalition of 22 state attorney generals, former US government officials, and human rights advocacy groups representing Uyghurs, Tibetans, and people from Hong Kong.
A separate debate discussed in some of the amicus briefs is over whether the court should extend the ban timeline, a question that has divided key Republican figures. Incoming president Donald Trump has asked the court to delay the ban to give him an opportunity to reach a political agreement that would “save” TikTok, while Senator Mitch McConnell urged the justices to allow the divesture to go into effect the day before Trump’s inauguration on January 19.
