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Supreme Court upholds TikTok ban

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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 The Biden administration asserted that any free speech concerns are superseded by a national security interest over the app’s ties to China, raising alarm that the Chinese government could access Americans’ data or covertly manipulate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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News from the South - Texas News Feed

Texas organization channels grief into hiking trips, community healing

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www.kxan.com – Kelsey Thompson – 2025-02-08 07:00:00

SUMMARY: Roland “Bones” Jimenez, a Texas man, founded “Come and Hike It” to help others process grief through outdoor hiking experiences, stemming from his personal losses, including his brother and parents. After discovering the healing effects of nature on his mental health, he created the organization to connect those suffering from loss. Participants enjoy hiking trips that facilitate reflection and community support, such as the “Hike to Honor” program, which dedicates hikes to loved ones. The organization is seeking nonprofit status and plans to expand into more states, encouraging others to join the healing journey through nature.

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News from the South - Texas News Feed

Friend of murdered woman in shock, brother accused in the crime

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www.youtube.com – KHOU 11 – 2025-02-07 22:06:44

SUMMARY: Alicia Parker, 48, was shot and killed by her brother, 44-year-old Dwat Parker, who is now charged with murder. In court, Dwat displayed visible rage as the charges were read, while Alicia’s friend, Crystal Beasley, expressed her shock and struggle to comprehend the tragedy. The two had been close since meeting in prison 17 years ago, despite their different religious beliefs. Beasley believes an argument may have led to the shooting and is disturbed that Dwat was arrested at a restaurant Alicia loved. He remains in jail on a $500,000 bond and will appear in court on Monday.

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The victim’s brother is accused of shooting and killing her. Alisha Parker’s best friend is struggling to make sense of it.

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Family seeks answers months after Houston woman’s death remains unexplained

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www.youtube.com – KPRC 2 Click2Houston – 2025-02-07 22:06:17

SUMMARY: After more than seven months, the cause of death for 68-year-old Deborah Jackson remains undetermined, leaving her family in distress. Her son Casey, who reached out to KPRC’s help desk, is seeking answers about his mother’s death on June 28th after she moved to Houston for support. Despite her known health issues, including diabetes, heart problems, and a seizure disorder, he is frustrated by the lack of communication regarding the autopsy status at the Harris County Institute of Forensic Sciences. Casey emphasizes the emotional burden of uncertainty, compounded by the need for a death certificate to finalize her life insurance policy.

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More than seven months have passed since a Houston woman died, leaving her family with unanswered questions about the cause of her death as her autopsy remains pending at the Harris County Institute of Forensic Sciences.

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