www.kxan.com – Julia Shapero – 2025-01-17 09:05:00

SUMMARY: Summarize this content to 100 words: The Supreme Court on Friday unanimously upheld a law requiring TikTok’s China-based parent company to divest from the app, teeing up a ban set to take effect Sunday.

The justices sided with the Biden administration, finding that the divest-or-ban law does not violate the First Amendment just three days before President-elect Trump is set to take office. Trump had urged the justices to delay the deadline so he could negotiate a deal, but the court instead acted with breakneck speed.

However, the Biden administration does not plan to enforce the law ahead of inauguration, ultimately leaving the decision to Trump and seemingly keeping the app online for the time being.

“There is no doubt that, for more than 170 million Americans, TikTok offers a distinctive and expansive outlet for expression, means of engagement, and source of community,” the court said in its opinion. “But Congress has determined that divestiture is necessary to address its well-supported national security concerns regarding TikTok’s data collection practices and relationship with a foreign adversary.”

The court was unanimous in its judgement, although Justices Sonia Sotomayor and Neil Gorsuch filed separate concurrences.

The law, which was passed by wide bipartisan majorities in Congress and signed by President Biden last April, gave TikTok’s parent company ByteDance 270 days to divest from the app or face a ban from U.S. app stores.

TikTok has argued divestment is not a feasible option and that it will “go dark” as of Sunday. It contended the impending ban infringes on the First Amendment rights of both the company and its 170 million American users.

The court rejected those arguments, instead ruling in favor of the government. The Biden administration asserted that any free speech concerns are superseded by a national security interest over the app’s ties to China, raising alarm that the Chinese government could access Americans’ data or covertly manipulate TikTok’s content algorithm.

“Under these circumstances, we find the Government’s data collection justification sufficient to sustain the challenged provisions,” read the court’s opinion.

In his concurrence, Gorsuch said the court was right to not rely on the covert content manipulation rationale and also not rely on secret evidence from the government.

“Whether this law will succeed in achieving its ends, I do not know. A determined foreign adversary may just seek to replace one lost surveillance application with another. As time passes and threats evolve, less dramatic and more effective solutions may emerge. Even what might happen next to TikTok remains unclear,” Gorsuch wrote.

Sotomayor, meanwhile, briefly wrote separately to criticize the court for not firmly deciding the First Amendment applies, only assuming it does, saying “our precedent leaves no doubt that it does.”

The decision deals a significant blow to Trump, who argued in a friend-of-the-court brief that the Supreme Court should put the Jan. 19 deadline on hold so he could attempt to negotiate a deal once in office.

Trump has increasingly expressed sympathy with TikTok as the ban approached. TikTok CEO Shou Zi Chew will attend Trump’s inauguration, and Trump is reportedly considering signing an executive order to circumvent the ban. The president-elect said Friday that he discussed the fate of TikTok with Chinese President Xi Jinping during a call.

The video-sharing platform has also gained an ally in Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.), who on Thursday called for postponing Sunday’s deadline.

Rather than delay the deadline, the court instead acted remarkably fast to resolve TikTok’s lawsuit at every stage. It agreed to take up the case on Dec. 19, and on Friday issued its full opinion just a week after hearing oral arguments.

It’s a faster timeline than even other cases the court recently expedited, including when it carved out broad criminal immunity for Trump and former presidents in July, and months earlier, when the justices rejected an effort to kick Trump off Colorado’s ballot under the 14th Amendment’s insurrection ban.

Though the app would not automatically disappear for users who already downloaded it, TikTok is expected to eventually become unworkable, as the law blocks app stores from distributing the app or providing updates. However, the platform is reportedly also considering shutting down entirely if the ban goes into effect Sunday.

ByteDance could reverse course and agree to divest, though it has insisted doing so is not realistic. Several investors have expressed interest in buying TikTok, with billionaire Frank McCourt’s Project Liberty making a formal offer to ByteDance last week.

If divestment is underway, Biden, with only three days left in office, has the authority to grant a 90-day delay. Even if he doesn’t, TikTok could resume normal operations once a sale is complete.

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www.youtube.com – FOX 4 Dallas-Fort Worth – 2025-01-17 08:32:33

SUMMARY: President Biden is reportedly choosing not to enforce a potential ban on TikTok, originally set to take effect this Sunday. The ban was part of a law passed by Congress to compel TikTok’s Chinese parent company to sell the app, amid concerns over data privacy. The U.S. Supreme Court is set to rule on whether the app must shut down, with arguments weighing free speech against national security. TikTok’s CEO argues the ban violates free speech rights. Meanwhile, Trump’s administration signals support for TikTok, emphasizing its survival free from Chinese control, possibly delaying the sale deadline if negotiations are underway.

A decision by the U.S. Supreme Court is expected today, but not guaranteed, as to whether TikTok must shut down in America on Sunday. Here’s what we know.

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www.youtube.com – KHOU 11 – 2025-01-17 07:48:17

SUMMARY: As extremely cold weather approaches, experts share tips for protecting your home. Inside, it’s crucial to drip your faucets, particularly the one furthest from where water enters your home, to keep pipes moving. Also, open cabinets under sinks, especially on exterior walls, to let warm air circulate around pipes. Similarly, leave attic access open to allow warm air to flow. These steps are just as important as wrapping pipes outside, as they help prevent freezing and damage. Jalissa Garza, now feeling like an expert, shares these helpful tips to keep your home safe from the cold.

With freezing temperatures on the way, KHOU 11’s Julissa Garza shares essential indoor tips to prepare your home.

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