TikTok's future in the U.S. appeared uncertain on Friday after a federal appeals court rejected a legal challenge to a law that requires the social media platform to cut ties with its China-based parent company or be banned by mid-January.
A panel of three judges on The U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit ruled unanimously that the law withstood constitutional scrutiny, rebuffing arguments from the two companies that the statute violated their rights and the rights of TikTok users in the U.S.
The government has said it wants ByteDance, TikTok's parent company, to divest its stakes. But if it doesn't and the platform goes away, it would have a seismic impact on the lives of content creators who rely on the platform for income as well as users who use it for entertainment and connection.
Here are some details on the ruling and what could happen next:
What does the ruling say?
In their lawsuit, TikTok and ByteDance, which is also a plaintiff in the case, had challenged the law on various fronts, arguing in part that the statute ran afoul of the First Amendment and was an unconstitutional bill of attainder that unfairly targeted the two companies.
But the court sided with attorneys for the Justice Department who said that the government was attempting to address national security concerns and the way in which it chose to do so did not violate the constitution.
The Justice Department has argued in court that TikTok poses a national security risk due to its connections to China. Officials say that Chinese authorities can compel ByteDance to hand over information on TikTok's U.S. patrons or use the platform to spread, or suppress, information. However, the U.S. hasn't publicly provided examples of that happening.
The appeals court ruling, written by Judge Douglas Ginsburg, said the law was “carefully crafted to deal only with control by a foreign adversary." The judges also rejected the claim that the statute was an unlawful bill of attainder or a taking of property in violation of the Fifth Amendment. Furthermore, Ginsburg wrote the law did not violate the First Amendment because the government is not looking to “suppress content or require a certain mix of content” on TikTok.
What happens next?
TikTok and ByteDance are expected to appeal the case to the Supreme Court, but it's unclear whether the court will take up the case.
TikTok indicated in a statement on Friday the two companies are preparing to take their case to high court, saying the Supreme Court has “an established historical record of protecting Americans’ right to free speech."
"We expect they will do just that on this important constitutional issue,” a company spokesperson said.
Alan Morrison, a professor at The George Washington University Law School, said he expects the Supreme Court to take up the case because of the novelty of the issues raised in the lawsuit. If that happens, attorneys for the two companies still have to convince the court to grant them an emergency stay that will prevent the government from enforcing the Jan. 19 divestiture deadline stipulated in the law, Morrison said.
Such a move could drag out the process until the Justices make a ruling.
Tiffany Cianci, a TikTok content creator who has supported the platform, said she was not shocked about the outcome of the court's ruling on Friday because lower courts typically defer to the executive branch on these types of cases. She believes the company will have a stronger case at the Supreme Court.
“I believe that the next stages are more likely to produce a victory for TikTokers and for TikTok as a whole,” Cianci said.
What about Trump?
Another wild card is President-elect Donald Trump, who tried to ban TikTok during his first term but said during the recent presidential campaign that he is now against such action.
The Trump transition team has not offered details on how Trump plans to carry out his pledge to “save TikTok." But spokeswoman Karoline Leavitt said in a statement last month that he plans to “deliver” on his campaign promises.
After Trump takes office on Jan. 20th, it would fall on his Justice Department to enforce the law and punish any potential violators. Penalties would apply to any app stores that would violate a prohibition on TikTok and to internet hosting services which would be barred from supporting it.
Some have speculated that Trump could ask his Justice Department to abstain from enforcing the law. But tech companies like Apple and Google, which offer TikTok's app on their app stores, would then have to trust that the administration would not come after them for any violations.
Craig Singleton, senior director of the China program at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies, said enforcement discretion — or executive orders — can not override existing law, leaving Trump with “limited room for unilateral action."
There are other things Trump could potentially do. It's possible he could invoke provisions of the law that allow the president to determine whether a sale or a similar transaction frees TikTok from “foreign adversary” control. Another option is to urge Congress to repeal the law. But that too would require support from congressional Republicans who have overwhelmingly supported the prospect of getting TikTok out of the hands of a Chinese company.
In a statement issued Friday, Republican Rep. John Moolenaar of Michigan, chairman of the House Select Committee on China, said he was “optimistic that President Trump will facilitate an American takeover of TikTok” and allow its continued use in the United States.
Is anyone trying to buy TikTok?
ByteDance has said it won't sell TikTok. And even if it wanted to, a sale of the proprietary algorithm that powers TikTok is likely to get blocked under Chinese export controls that the country issued in 2020.
That means if TikTok is sold without the algorithm, its likely that the buyer would only purchase a shell of the platform that doesn't contain the technology that made the app a cultural powerhouse.
Still, some investors, including Trump’s former Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin and billionaire Frank McCourt, have expressed interest in buying it.
This week, a spokesperson for McCourt’s Project Liberty initiative, which aims to protect online privacy, said participants in their bid have made informal commitments of more than $20 billion in capital. The spokesperson did not disclose the identity of the participants.
TikTok is inching closer to a potential ban in the US. So what's next?
https://arab.news/cukmb
TikTok is inching closer to a potential ban in the US. So what's next?
Commissioner Goodell says no change to NFL’s relationship with Jay-Z amid rape allegations
NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell on Wednesday said the league is aware of a lawsuit that accuses musician Jay-Z of rape but said it is not impacting the NFL’s partnership with the rap mogul’s Roc Nation label, which produces the Super Bowl halftime show.
An amended civil lawsuit filed in federal court on Sunday alleges Jay-Z and Sean “Diddy” Combs raped a 13-year-old girl during a party in New York in 2000. Jay-Z and Combs have denied the allegations.
“We’re aware of the civil allegations and Jay-Z’s really strong response to that,” Goodell said after the conclusion of the league’s winter meetings in Texas.
“We know the litigation is happening now. From our standpoint, our relationship is not changing with them, including our preparations for the next Super Bowl.”
Roc Nation has helped produce the past five Super Bowl halftime shows and Jay-Z’s wife, Beyonce, is scheduled to perform at halftime of the upcoming Ravens vs. Texans game on Christmas Day in Houston, according to Sports Illustrated.
The lawsuit was originally filed in October in the Southern District of New York and at that time did not name Jay-Z as a defendant, though the amended lawsuit says that Jay-Z was identified as “Celebrity A” on the original complaint.
Jay-Z, whose real name is Shawn Carter, has blasted the lawsuit, calling it part of a “blackmail attempt” by the plaintiff’s lawyer.
Tony Buzbee, the Texas lawyer representing the girl who filed Sunday’s lawsuit, has filed at least 20 civil lawsuits against Combs accusing him of sexual misconduct.
Buzbee said Jay Z’s relationship with the NFL had nothing to do with him.
“My job is to represent my clients zealously and ethically. And that’s what I intend to do,” he said in response to a request for comment.
Combs has denied all allegations against him. He is currently in jail on federal sex trafficking charges, to which he has pleaded not guilty.
The lawsuit alleges that the unnamed girl was drugged and raped by both Jay-Z and Combs at a party hosted by Combs following the MTV Music Awards in 2000, which was held in New York.
Keynote Selena Gomez spotlights prioritizing mental health during Academy Women’s Luncheon
- Selena Gomez took center stage at the Academy Women’s Luncheon to spotlight a critical issue: Prioritizing mental health
LOS ANGELES: While surveying a room packed with Hollywood’s most influential figures, “Emilia Pérez” star Selena Gomez took center stage to spotlight a critical issue: Prioritizing mental health and supporting underserved communities often left behind in the conversation.
“It’s about taking action to ensure that underserved communities have access to mental health resources,” Gomez said Tuesday at the Academy Women’s Luncheon. The singer-actor has been public about her mental health struggles, revealing she had been diagnosed with bipolar disorder.
In 2020, Gomez started the Rare Impact Fund and her Rare Beauty line of cosmetics, pledging to donate 1 percent of all sales to the fund to help expand mental health services and education for young people.
“It’s about showing them that when we come together, we can make a real difference,” said Gomez, a Grammy and Emmy-nominated performer who became a Golden Globes double nominee Monday for her roles on “Emilia Pérez” and “Only Murders in the Building.”
“I know firsthand how isolation can make you feel at times,” she said. “But moments like this and talking to all these amazing women, it just reminds me that I’m not alone. We share. And when we stand together, we create a ripple effect that stretches far beyond our own lives.
Gomez was the keynote speaker at the event held at the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures with attendees including Ariana Grande, Olivia Wilde, Amy Adams, Pamela Anderson, Sarah Paulson, Regina King, Rita Wilson, Ava DuVernay and Awkwafina.
Gomez talked about the importance of amplifying women’s voice and being proud while working on “Emilia Pérez,” which she says featured “extraordinary” women from in front and behind the camera. She said the film’s director, Jacques Audiard, fostered the idea that “every single voice is heard and valued.”
“It reminded me of the power of community, supporting and lifting up each other — whether in film, music or life itself,” she said.
Many actors in attendance dressed in Chanel clothing, jewelry, shoes, makeup and accessories. The luxury fashion brand, which sponsored the event, has had a long association with film and women creatives since founder Gabrielle “Coco” Chanel saw an opportunity to put her designs in the movies and empower women in film.
Tuesday’s event was held to bring together women from all facets of the filmmaking community. It was also a celebration of the Academy Gold Fellowship for Women, a program that supports emerging women filmmakers.
Gomez paid homage to the event for highlighting women filmmakers and the efforts behind creating resources for those in the fellowship.
“It is honestly such an honor to be in this room with so many women that I love and have inspired me throughout the years,” she said. “They continue to empower me, not only in our industry, but around world.”
Pakistani elephant Sonia dies less than two weeks after reunion with sister Madhubala
- Elephant’s post-mortem to be carried out on Monday, says international animal welfare organization
- Sonia, sisters Madhubala, Malika and Noor Jehan, were brought from Tanzania to Pakistan in 2009
KARACHI: Pakistani elephant Sonia died at the Safari Park in Karachi on Sunday morning, an official said, less than two weeks after she was reunited with her sister Madhubala after a 15-year separation.
Sisters Sonia, Malika, Noor Jehan and Madhubala were caught in the wild in Tanzania at a young age and brought to Pakistan together in 2009 but were soon separated, with Noor Jehan and Madhubala moved to the Karachi Zoo and Malika and Sonia to the city’s Safari Park.
Noor Jehan died in April 2023 at age 17 after a prolonged illness caused by neglect, leaving Madhubala alone at the zoo. After a 15-year separation, Madhubala was shifted to the Safari Park on Nov. 26 where she was reunited with Malika and Sonia, who are estimated to be between 17 and 19 years old.
“Sonia, one of the three elephants at Karachi’s Safari Park, passed away this morning,” Amjad Zaidi, director of the Safari Park, told Arab News.
“There were no health issues, and she appeared to be in perfect condition,” he said.
Dr. Amir Khalil, director of the international animal welfare organization Four Paws, said a doctor from Lahore would conduct an autopsy examination on Sonia at Safari Park on Monday.
“Based on this post-mortem report, it will be clear what factors led to the unexpected demise of Sonia,” Dr. Khalil told Arab News, highlighting that Sonia’s last medical report showed she was deficient in protein.
Four Paws said last month that the three elephants’ health was being observed by head veterinarian Dr. Frank Goeritz from the Leibnitz Institute of Zoo and Wildlife Research, who has been involved in treating the elephants since 2021.
In November 2021, after the provincial Sindh High Court asked Four Paws to assess the Pakistani elephants’ well-being, all four were found to require better diet and medical treatment.
Pakistan’s English-language daily Dawn reported in July that Sonia was found to have developed a swelling between her hind legs. Zaidi told Dawn that Sonia had developed the infection but was recovering.
Animal rights activists have long campaigned against the plight of animals in Pakistan, especially elephants, and demanded that they be provided adequate medical care and nutrition.
Connecticut court upholds $965 million verdict against Alex Jones in Sandy Hook
HARTFORD, Connecticut: The Connecticut Appellate Court on Friday affirmed a $965 million verdict from 2022 against conspiracy theorist Alex Jones, determining there’s “sufficient evidence” to support the damages awarded to relatives of the Sandy Hook Elementary School massacre victims and an FBI agent.
In its unanimous opinion, the court cited the “traumatic threats and harassment” the families endured “stemming from the lies, as propagated by the defendants, that the Sandy Hook massacre was a hoax.”
“Our review of the record reveals that there was sufficient evidence to support the $965,000,000 in compensatory damages awarded by the jury,” according to the 62-page decision. It marks the largest jury verdict in Connecticut history.
The appellate court did grant Jones a $150 million reprieve. It determined the plaintiffs “failed to assert a legally viable” claim under the Connecticut Unfair Trade Practices Act and that $150 million in punitive damages awarded by the lower court must be vacated, noting the plaintiffs alleged injury came from false language and not from speech related to advertising, marketing or the sale of goods.
An email was sent seeking comment from Jones’ attorney.
Jones now owes a total of roughly $1.2 billion, counting the $965 million to the Connecticut families and nearly $50 million awarded by a Texas jury to the parents of a Sandy Hook child who was killed.
Jones filed for personal bankruptcy in 2022, and the sale of his Infowars platform is part of that case. A bid by The Onion satirical news outlet to buy Infowars is scheduled to return Monday to a Texas courtroom, where a judge will be deciding whether a bankruptcy auction was properly run. Jones alleges collusion and fraud.
Lawyers for the Sandy Hook families hailed the Connecticut appellate court’s ruling on Friday as an overall victory. Jones can appeal the decision to the Connecticut State Supreme Court.
“Today, Alex Jones’s effort to overturn the jury’s historic verdict against him and his corrupt business, Infowars, was unanimously rejected by the Connecticut Appellate Court. The jury’s $965 million rebuke of Jones will stand, and the families who have fought valiantly for years have brought Alex Jones yet another step closer to true justice,” the lawyers said in a statement.
Jones repeatedly told his millions of followers the 2012 massacre that killed 20 first graders and six educators was staged by “crisis actors” to enact more gun control.
The appellate court also determined that a lower court “properly exercised its discretion” in finding Jones and his Infowars’ parent company Free Speech Systems LLC., liable for damages by default for failing to cooperate with court rules on sharing evidence.
Berlin’s new panda twins have been named. Meet Leni and Lotti, or Meng Hao and Meng Tian
- The two female cubs, born at the Berlin Zoo on Aug. 22, were introduced Friday as Meng Hao and Meng Tian (“beautiful dreams” and “sweet dreams”)
BERLIN: Germany’s new panda twins now have names — or rather, two names apiece.
The two female cubs, born at the Berlin Zoo on Aug. 22, were introduced Friday as Meng Hao and Meng Tian (“beautiful dreams” and “sweet dreams”). Alternatively, they also answer to the very Berlin names of Leni and Lotti — tributes to Berlin native Marlene Dietrich and the German capital’s Charlottenburg district.
The pair, who lay on their bellies on a mattress and peered at photographers as the Chinese ambassador to Germany and Berlin’s mayor unveiled their names, are the second pair of giant pandas born in Germany.
The first were their elder brothers Meng Xiang and Meng Yuan, who became far better known by the German names Pit and Paule. The cubs were born in August 2019 and were a star attraction in Berlin until they were flown to China nearly a year ago — a trip that was contractually agreed from the start but delayed by the COVID-19 pandemic.
All are the offspring of mother Meng Meng and father Jiao Qing, who arrived in Berlin in 2017.
Zoo director Andreas Knieriem said the youngsters are growing fast, putting on nearly 100 grams (3.5 ounces) per day and now weighing in at almost 6 kilos (13.2 pounds) each.
Giant pandas have difficulty breeding and births are particularly welcomed. There are about 1,800 pandas living in the wild in China and a few hundred in captivity worldwide.
Meng Meng was artificially inseminated in March. Female pandas are fertile only for a few days per year at most.
China gifted friendly nations with its unofficial mascot for decades as part of a “panda diplomacy″ policy. The country now loans pandas to zoos on commercial terms.
Visitors to the zoo are currently able to see one of the cubs for an hour each day. From late January both will be on view with their mother, the zoo said.
