Legal action to block TikTok in the United States could face significant delays, potentially extending over several years, as the process is expected to undergo thorough scrutiny and could ultimately reach the Supreme Court.

This follows a recent ruling in November by a federal judge in Montana who prevented an attempt to ban TikTok within the state.The app’s immense popularity among young Americans adds complexity to any potential ban or sale. According to Andrew Przybylski, a professor at Oxford University specializing in human behavior and technology, approximately two out of three young people in the US have a TikTok account. He emphasizes that legal challenges may be centered around freedom of speech and expression, citing the UN Charter on the Rights of the Child, which asserts young people’s rights to information and play.

Jennifer Huddleston from the Cato Institute in Washington highlights that any sale of TikTok could face considerable regulatory scrutiny, potentially prolonging the process. She notes that a transaction of this magnitude typically takes much longer than the proposed nine-month timeframe, raising questions about the feasibility of such a sale and the nature of the regulatory requirements involved.

The identity of potential buyers for TikTok also remains uncertain, given the expected multibillion-dollar price tag associated with the acquisition. This uncertainty raises further questions about the feasibility and logistics of transferring ownership and operations of the app within the US market.

• #freedom of speech
• #Legal Challenge
• #TikTok
• #TikTok Ban
• #United States