TikTok to 'go dark' in the US on Sunday

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00:00U.S. Supreme Court has upheld a law banning TikTok in the United States on national security grounds.

00:06That is if its Chinese parent company ByteDance doesn't sell the short video out by Sunday.

00:12The justices were unanimous in their decision saying,

00:16there is no doubt that for more than 170 million Americans TikTok offers a distinctive and

00:22expansive outlet for expression, means of engagement and source of community.

00:27But Congress has determined that divestiture is necessary to address its well-supported

00:32national security concerns regarding TikTok's data collection practices

00:37and relationship with a foreign adversary.

00:40That adversary is China and specifically its potential to exert control over the app.

00:47A White House statement suggested the U.S. President Joe Biden wouldn't take

00:51any action to save TikTok before Sunday.

00:54White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said,

00:57given the sheer fact of timing, this administration recognizes that actions

01:01to implement the law simply must fall to the next administration, which takes office on Monday.

01:08Republican Donald Trump takes over.

01:10In his first term, he aimed to prohibit TikTok.

01:13He said recently he had a warm spot in his heart for the app.

01:19That's because it helped him, he said, with young voters in 2024.

01:24He's now saying his decision on TikTok will be made in the not-too-distant future,

01:28but he must have time to review the situation. Stay tuned, he said.

01:34TikTok plans to shut U.S. operations of the app on Sunday, barring a last-minute reprieve.

01:41Its CEO will attend Trump's inauguration on Monday, seated among other high-profile guests.

01:47Trump said this Friday that he and Chinese President Xi Jinping discuss

01:50issues including TikTok in a phone call.

01:53We will keep this free from any manipulation by any government.

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