January 19th marked a day of mourning for the U.S., with millions of TikTokers uploading — what were thought to be — their last videos on the platform. This was the day the Protecting Americans from Foreign Adversary Controlled Applications Act (The Act) came into effect, making it unlawful for companies in the United States to provide services to distribute, maintain, or update the social media platform TikTok. Users of the app rushed to download RedNote, another Chinese app mainly operating in Mandarin. Duolingo, the popular platform that offers online language lessons, saw a 216% increase in U.S. users learning Mandarin in January. Was this a coincidence—or a form of digital rebellion?
In the Per Curiam of the Supreme Court, TikTok Inc. v. Garland (2025), the Court ruled on the constitutionality of The Act. Unless TikTok divests from its Chinese parent company, ByteDance Ltd., the app will stop working both within the U.S. and abroad, for those with accounts created in the States. In simple terms, TikTok should no longer be controlled by the “foreign adversary,” meaning China.
ByteDance Ltd., TikTok Inc., and some TikTok users and creators challenged the constitutionality of The Act, arguing that it violates the First Amendment—freedom of speech. The Court ruled that the law was content-neutral; therefore, the Act does not regulate speech based on its message, but is instead aimed at addressing national security concerns. Simultaneously, the government expressed its worries about data protection. For instance, it warned that China could “track the locations of Federal employees and contractors, build dossiers of personal information for blackmail, and conduct corporate espionage.”
Could this be a real scenario? According to the petitioners, “it is ‘unlikely’ that China would compel TikTok to turn over user data for intelligence-gathering purposes since China has more effective and efficient means of obtaining relevant information.” What do you think? Should we all worry that TikTok is collecting our sensitive data?
These concerns were first raised by President Trump in 2020 when he issued an executive order stating that “the spread in the United States of mobile applications developed and owned by companies in the People’s Republic of China continues to threaten the national security, foreign policy, and economy of the United States.” Ironically, however, it was President Trump who later granted a 75-day extension.
When President Trump declared a “national emergency” in 2020 due to TikTok’s growing popularity, few could have predicted that almost five years later he would be hailed as the savior of the Chinese app. American TikTokers and users rejoiced upon seeing the “Welcome back” message on their screens, crediting President Trump for the app’s continued availability. Back in 2020, he viewed TikTok as a national security threat, concerned about the leakage of private information of millions of US users to the Chinese government. However, his attempt to ban TikTok at that time ultimately failed.
President Trump’s previous concerns may have planted a seed of suspicion in the Biden administration that the app has contributed to data leakage, which resulted in the recent decision made by the Supreme Court. Now, the re-elected President is working to keep the app available in the U.S., negotiating with ByteDance Ltd. According to the Act, the ties should be severed totally. However, the idea of a joint venture has been floated . Trump believes that the important point is to ensure at least 50% U.S. ownership of the app.
Speaking on Fox News, Trump recently downplayed national security risks, questioning whether it is “that important for China to be spying on young people, on young kids, watching crazy videos”. He suggested that essentially all electronic products manufactured in China could be used to spy on American users if espionage were the real concern. This apparent shift in perspective has sparked debate. What can explain his so-called “change of heart”? Did his defense of TikTok really help him gain favor among young American voters during the 2024 election?
In his first press conference after the election, Trump claimed that he “won youth by 34 points” thanks to TikTok, saying that he now has “a warm spot” in his heart for the app. However, there is no official confirmation of this claim. According to exit poll data from Tufts University, despite an increase in Trump’s popularity among young people, it was Kamala Harris that won this demographic with 52% of the vote.
In the meantime, speculation regarding the fate of TikTok continues, as American billionaires—including Elon Musk, Larry Ellison, and YouTuber MrBeast—expressed interest in acquiring the app from its Chinese parent company, ByteDance. The ongoing discussions have left the world in suspense about TikTok’s future. According to Trump, a U.S.–led purchase would be to China’s advantage as well, though he has yet to clarify exactly how.
As the debate over TikTok’s security and ownership continues, Trump’s changing position raises questions about national security, politics, and the economy. Whether his newfound support for the app is rooted in electoral calculations or broader business and geopolitical considerations remains unclear – just like the future of TikTok.
What will happen to TikTok?
By Manuela Corrado & Theodora Despoina Dimitriadou
March 4, 2025
