The Supreme Court Justices have indicated their likely support for the TikTok ban signed by President Biden, which requires Chinese-owned ByteDance to sell the app or face a U.S. ban by January 19.

During oral arguments, the justices focused heavily on national security concerns over First Amendment protections. Chief Justice John Roberts emphasized that Congress's focus isn't on TikTok's content but rather Chinese control of the platform.

The key concerns center on TikTok's data collection practices, which Justice Kavanaugh described as a "huge concern for the future of the country." He specifically mentioned risks of developing spies, blackmail potential, and threats to future government officials.

U.S. Solicitor General Elizabeth Prelogar highlighted the bipartisan support for the law, noting that legislators united around concerns about Chinese control of the platform rather than content moderation issues.

Important points about the potential ban:

• Implementation date: July 19
• Affects 170 million U.S. users
• Requires removal from app stores
• ISPs must block web app access
• Apple and Google must comply with removal

While TikTok's legal team argues the ban violates users' free speech rights, former President Trump, who initially pushed for the ban in 2020, has recently shown support for the platform, telling his 15 million followers he would "save TikTok" if elected.

The Supreme Court's decision will ultimately balance national security concerns against First Amendment protections, with early indicators suggesting the justices favor upholding the ban.

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