The future of TikTok in the United States hangs in the balance as the Supreme Court is about to make its decision on January 19th. ByteDance, TikTok’s Chinese parent company, has been ordered to divest its ownership of the platform by this deadline or face an outright ban. However, TikTok stood its ground with an argument that the divestiture infringes upon First Amendment rights, asserting that the app’s unique algorithm is integral to its operation and cannot be easily separated from ByteDance.

Supreme Court skeptical of TikTok’s free speech argument

The justices have expressed doubts about TikTok’s claims on free speech infringement. Justice Samuel Alito questioned the idea that TikTok is irreplaceable, noting that users could migrate to alternative platforms. Chief Justice John Roberts also highlighted concerns about ByteDance’s obligations under Chinese law to assist in intelligence operations, which could pose significant national security risks.

Roberts emphasized that the law does not seek to shut down TikTok entirely but aims to remove ByteDance’s control, stating, “The law is not saying TikTok has to stop. They’re saying China has to stop controlling TikTok.”

U.S. Solicitor General Elizabeth Prelogar underscored the dangers posed by TikTok’s extensive data collection. She argued that the Chinese government could exploit this information for espionage or covert influence campaigns, amplifying concerns about national security.

As the January 19 deadline looms, the Supreme Court’s decision will determine whether TikTok can continue operating in the U.S. under its current ownership or if ByteDance must divest its stake in the platform.

RedNote gains popularity amid TikTok uncertainty

As TikTok faces the possibility of a ban, another Chinese app, Xiaohongshu—known internationally as RedNote—is experiencing a surge in downloads across the United States. Often described as a mix of Instagram and Pinterest, RedNote allows users to share short videos, images, and lifestyle content.

Industry experts speculate that some of TikTok’s user base may be gravitating toward RedNote as an alternative, especially with uncertainty surrounding TikTok’s future.