This Friday, the U.S. Supreme Court will hear not just the biggest business dispute this year, but also one of the most important national security cases in recent memory. Congress and the Biden administration are demanding either the sale or closure next week of TikTok, the immensely popular, foreign-owned social media platform with more than 170 million monthly users in the United States alone. TikTok v. Garland asks whether freedom of speech prevents the government from regulating foreign-owned networks for national security reasons. The Court must uphold the considered decision of the elected branches — even taking into account President-elect Donald Trump’s request for a delay — which are responsible for repelling the cyber warfare waged by China and our other adversaries.
TikTok’s ownership by a Chinese parent company controlled by the Chinese government (the PRC) creates a severe challenge to the national security of the United States. It is an application that allows users to create, view, and share short video clips. That in itself poses no security threat. Facebook, Google, and other social media networks offer similar capabilities, though none as smashingly popular with users.
Comments