TikTok ban: Last-minute reprieve or rule of law?

On Friday, the Supreme Court upheld the TikTok ban after days of speculation, during which it refrained from making public comments on the case, leaving a sliver of hope for a last-minute reprieve. (AFP/File)
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Updated 17 January 2025
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TikTok ban: Last-minute reprieve or rule of law?

  • As the Jan. 19 deadline looms for TikTok’s potential ban in the US, rumors are rife speculating on the future of the video app

DUBAI/LONDON: With just days left until the official ban of Chinese-owned social media platform TikTok is set to take effect in the US, speculation is mounting over what happens next — and whether there could still be a last-minute twist.

The short answer: No one knows for certain.

In March 2024, the US House of Representatives passed a bill that, if signed into law, would force ByteDance, the China-based owner of TikTok, to sell the video-sharing app. The Senate passed the bill, and President Joe Biden signed it, ordering ByteDance to sell TikTok to an American company or face a ban in the US by Jan. 19.

At the time, TikTok CEO Shou Zi Chew said that such a law “will take billions of dollars out of the pockets of creators and small businesses” and put more than 30,000 American jobs at risk.

Neither he nor the company were willing to give up without a fight. In May 2024, TikTok and ByteDance sued the US federal government challenging the law, alleging that it was unconstitutional.

In December, a federal appeals court ruled the TikTok law was constitutional. A month later, on Jan. 10, the Supreme Court heard arguments in a pivotal case brought by TikTok and its users challenging the law on the basis of US users’ First Amendment rights.

On Friday, the Supreme Court upheld the TikTok ban after days of speculation, during which it refrained from making public comments on the case, leaving a sliver of hope for a last-minute reprieve. With the decision now confirmed, TikTok’s options have significantly narrowed.

In its ruling, the court stated: “We conclude that the challenged provisions do not violate petitioners’ First Amendment rights. The judgment of the United States court of appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit is affirmed.”

This decision means TikTok will no longer be available for download from app stores starting Jan. 19.

“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. 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 ruling reads.

The outcome seemed increasingly likely during the hearings, with Justice Elena Kagan saying: “The law is only targeted at this foreign corporation that doesn't have First Amendment rights. Whatever effect it has, it has.”

Justice Amy Coney Barrett added: “The law doesn’t say TikTok has to shut down. It says ByteDance has to divest.”

Amid the legal back and forth, TikTok’s knight in shining armor might just be President-elect Donald Trump, who is set to take office on Jan. 20 — one day after the purported ban.

Despite trying to ban the app during his first term over national security concerns, he joined TikTok during his 2024 presidential campaign, during which he pledged to “save TikTok.” He also lauded the platform for helping him win more youth votes.

When asked about his policies on social media regulation, particularly the impending ban of TikTok, Karoline Leavitt, Trump-Vance Transition Team spokeswoman, told Arab News: “The American people re-elected President Trump by a resounding margin, giving him a mandate to implement the promises he made on the campaign trail. He will deliver.”

Just last month, Trump urged the Supreme Court to pause the ban.

The brief submitted to the court says Trump “alone possesses the consummate dealmaking expertise, the electoral mandate, and the political will to negotiate a resolution to save the platform while addressing the national security concerns expressed by the Government.”

Moreover, earlier this week, reports emerged that TikTok CEO Chew has been invited to Trump’s inauguration and offered a “position of honor,” suggesting a willingness to engage with the company.

And Mike Waltz, Trump’s incoming national security adviser, told FOX News that the new administration would “find a way to preserve (TikTok) but protect people’s data.”

Any intervention by Trump, however, would likely take the form of an executive order temporarily pausing the ban, contingent on TikTok demonstrating progress toward separating from ByteDance. Even then, such an order could face legal challenges, and the law only allows a limited delay of 60 to 90 days to give extra time for negotiations.

Outgoing President Biden, who will leave office on Jan. 19, will not enforce a ban on TikTok, a US official said Thursday, leaving its fate in the hands of Trump.

Rumors of a potential sale have intensified in recent days including speculation of interest from high-profile buyers, such as Elon Musk, but ByteDance dismissed these reports as “pure fiction.”

The company has consistently rejected the possibility of a sale, saying it “is simply not possible: not commercially, not technologically, not legally.”

As the Jan. 19 deadline approaches, the situation remains shrouded in uncertainty, even after Friday’s ruling.

For now, TikTok’s chances of remaining accessible in the US appear practically null, as the case is steeped in complex issues of politics, national security, economic interests, and digital rights.

The law underpinning the ban targets a wide network of US-based partners that facilitate TikTok’s operations, effectively making common workarounds, such as using virtual private networks or changing a phone’s regional settings, either ineffective or impractical, according to experts.

At best, users might gain limited access to a web-based version of the app, which lacks many of its features. However, even that option may not function reliably, experts warned.

The most likely enforcement mechanism would involve compelling app stores like Google Play and Apple’s App Store to remove TikTok from their platforms in the US. Lawmakers have already instructed tech companies to prepare for this scenario if the ban is enacted.

If the app is banned, TikTok reportedly plans to display a pop-up message for users attempting to access the platform, directing them to a website with information about the ban, according to a Reuters report citing sources close to the matter.

For now, TikTok’s operations continue as usual, with the company having reassured employees that their jobs are secure regardless of the Supreme Court’s decision. However, morale within the company is said to be low, despite these reassurances.

What is certain is that TikTok’s leadership has been “planning for various scenarios.” With Friday’s decision now final and the Jan. 19 ban imminent, the company’s next steps will likely take one of two paths: intervention by Trump or divestment to a non-Chinese entity.

Meanwhile, users and critics alike wait in anticipation, seeking clarity on the far-reaching consequences of the ban — potentially rippling as far as the Middle East — and whether any last-minute developments might offer a reprieve for the platform and its millions of US users.


Bristling at ‘Gulf of Mexico’ name change on maps, Mexico threatens to sue Google

Updated 14 February 2025
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Bristling at ‘Gulf of Mexico’ name change on maps, Mexico threatens to sue Google

  • After assuming office as US president, Donald Trump declared that he was changing the name Gulf of Mexico to Gulf of America
  • Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum said the name Gulf of Mexico dates back to 1607 and is recognized by the United Nations
  • Google has said that it maintains a “long-standing practice of applying name changes when they have been updated in official government sources”

MEXICO CITY: Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum said Thursday that her government wouldn’t rule out filing a civil lawsuit against Google if it maintains its stance of calling the stretch of sea between northeastern Mexico and the southeastern United States the “Gulf of America.”
The area, long named the Gulf of Mexico across the the world, has gained a geopolitical spotlight after President Donald Trump declared he would change the Gulf’s name.
Sheinbaum, in her morning news conference, said the president’s decree is restricted to the “continental shelf of the United States” because Mexico still controls much of the Gulf. “We have sovereignty over our continental shelf,” she said.
Sheinbaum said that despite the fact that her government sent a letter to Google saying that the company was “wrong” and that “the entire Gulf of Mexico cannot be called the Gulf of America,” the company has insisted on maintaining the nomenclature.
It was not immediately clear where such a suit would be filed.
Google reported last month on its X account, formerly Twitter, that it maintains a “long-standing practice of applying name changes when they have been updated in official government sources.”
As of Thursday, how the Gulf appeared on Google Maps was dependent on the user’s location and other data. If the user is in the United States, the body of water appeared as Gulf of America. If the user was physically in Mexico, it would appear as the Gulf of Mexico. In many other countries across the world it appears as “Gulf of Mexico (Gulf of America).”
Sheinbaum has repeatedly defended the name Gulf of Mexico, saying its use dates to 1607 and is recognized by the United Nations.
She has also mentioned that, according to the constitution of Apatzingán, the antecedent to Mexico’s first constitution, the North American territory was previously identified as “Mexican America”. Sheinbaum has used the example to poke fun at Trump and underscore the international implications of changing the Gulf’s name.
In that sense, Sheinbaum said on Thursday that the Mexican government would ask Google to make “Mexican America” pop up on the map when searched.
This is not the first time Mexicans and Americans have disagreed on the names of key geographic areas, such as the border river between Texas and the Mexican states of Chihuahua, Coahuila, Nuevo León and Tamaulipas. Mexico calls it Rio Bravo and for the United States it is the Rio Grande.
This week, the White House barred Associated Press reporters from several events, including some in the Oval Office, saying it was because of the news agency’s policy on the name. AP is using “Gulf of Mexico” but also acknowledging Trump’s renaming of it as well, to ensure that names of geographical features are recognizable around the world.

 


124 journalists killed, most by Israel, in deadliest year for reporters

Updated 13 February 2025
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124 journalists killed, most by Israel, in deadliest year for reporters

  • The uptick in killings marks a 22 percent increase over 2023
  • Journalists murdered across 18 different countries, including Palestine's Gaza, Sudan and Pakistan

NEW YORK: Last year was the deadliest for journalists in recent history, with at least 124 reporters killed — and Israel responsible for nearly 70 percent of that total, the Committee to Protect Journalists reported Wednesday.
The uptick in killings, which marks a 22 percent increase over 2023, reflects “surging levels of international conflict, political unrest and criminality worldwide,” the CPJ said.
It was the deadliest year for reporters and media workers since CPJ began keeping records more than three decades ago, with journalists murdered across 18 different countries, it said.
A total of 85 journalists died in the Israeli-Hamas war, “all at the hands of the Israeli military,” the CPJ said, adding that 82 of them were Palestinians.
Sudan and Pakistan recorded the second highest number of journalists and media workers killed, with six each.
In Mexico, which has a reputation as one of the most dangerous countries for reporters, five were killed, with CPJ reporting it had found “persistent flaws” in Mexico’s mechanisms for protecting journalists.
And in Haiti, where two reporters were murdered, widespread violence and political instability have sown so much chaos that “gangs now openly claim responsibility for journalist killings,” the report said.
Other deaths took place in countries such as Myanmar, Mozambique, India and Iraq.
“Today is the most dangerous time to be a journalist in CPJ’s history,” said the group’s CEO Jodie Ginsberg.
“The war in Gaza is unprecedented in its impact on journalists and demonstrates a major deterioration in global norms on protecting journalists,” she said.
CPJ, which has kept records on journalist killings since 1992, said that 24 of the reporters were deliberately killed because of their work in 2024.
Freelancers, the report said, were among the most vulnerable because of their lack of resources, and accounted for 43 of the killings in 2024.
The year 2025 is not looking more promising, with six journalists already killed in the first weeks of the year, CPJ said.


Roblox CEO announces Arabic version at World Governments Summit

Updated 12 February 2025
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Roblox CEO announces Arabic version at World Governments Summit

DUBAI: Roblox CEO David Baszucki announced an Arabic version of the hit game platform during the World Governments Summit on Wednesday.

Baszucki said that the new feature enabled Arabic-speaking creators to reach audiences instantly all over the world.

Through the move, everything on the platform will be available in Arabic.

“Today, we launched worldwide in Arabic, everything on Roblox: Roblox Studio, the Roblox app, automatic translation. Anyone who’s building a Roblox experience in Arabic, it will automatically translate into languages around the world,” he said.

Roblox, an online game platform and game creation system, has more than 88.9 million daily active users.

Many brands use the platform to promote their products, from cosmetics to high-end luxury goods.

“Brands are using our platforms to build 3D experiences to help promote their brands — everything from e.l.f. Beauty to Lamborghini,” he added.

“We have been growing consistently for 18 years now, over 20 percent year on year.”

In the past, the gaming platform faced criticism over safety concerns regarding children on the platform. In 2018, it was banned for several years in the UAE for exposing children to swearing, violence and sexually explicit content.

Baszucki said that child safety is a major concern for the company and that Roblox is utilizing AI technology to ensure a safe gaming experience for users.

“AI is getting so good and evolving so quickly. We have over 200 AI systems on Roblox. We are clear that we are looking at everything on the platform for safety and stability. We are so into the notion of online safety — it’s a top priority,” he said.


Traditional and digital media should not be at ‘war,’ says social media star Anas Bukhash

Updated 12 February 2025
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Traditional and digital media should not be at ‘war,’ says social media star Anas Bukhash

DUBAI: Traditional and digital media should not be at war, social media star, podcast host and entrepreneur Anas Bukhash has told the World Governments Summit in Dubai.

During a session called “How to build a social media empire in Dubai” he explained: “I think it (traditional and digital media) should be a marriage and a good marriage, not a miserable marriage. If you have a good marriage … and they talk to each other nicely, it’s the most powerful combination rather than having either-or.”

He added he established his social media success by being consistent.

“I think a lot of things have to align, considering your consistency, your effort, your skill. All of it has to come together for you to be successful. And we've been doing it for ... we haven’t missed a Tuesday I think in like five years or six,” he said.

With more than 2 million subscribers, Bukhash’s show, AB Talks, is one of the most popular channels in the Arab world.

“When I presented my concept to some social media platforms, when I wanted to start back in 2014, everybody told me not to do it. Every platform told me nobody would watch it. It’s too long. Because at the time no Arabic interviews were long form,” he explained.

Bukhash said he valued longevity over virality in all his projects.

“Every startup I’ve done, I just do it well and I do it consistently and then suddenly it blows up. And I think people respect that more than somebody who just got viral because of one interview or one clip,” he added.

After studying mechanical engineering, Bukhash decided he wanted to branch out into other areas. He says he enjoys wearing many different hats rather than being stuck on one path.

“I’ve always looked at things and thought, how can I make it better or solve a problem for people? It’s funny how a mechanical engineer has an interview show, a hair salon, a cafe, a social media agency. But that’s the beauty of us as people. I always say, how can you sell something if you don’t believe it? You have to believe it,” he said.

“God made you so multi-dimensional. You just made yourself one dimension, but you were never born in one dimension. I love the fact that I can be one example of someone who can do a few things although I study something irrelevant.”

Bukhash said social media could be a powerful tool to help with storytelling and show people what was happening around the world — especially in recent times.

“In the US, young people have seen the tragedy and the conflict in Gaza in a way they were never able to see several years ago … You don’t have to be from a certain country to see what happens in Gaza, what happens in Lebanon, what happens in so many countries. You just have to be human to know that something is off,” he said.


Arab News takes eight accolades at European Newspaper Awards

Updated 12 February 2025
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Arab News takes eight accolades at European Newspaper Awards

  • One of the world’s largest newspaper design contests, ENA attracted more than 3,000 entries in 20 categories

LONDON: Arab News won eight accolades at the 2025 European Newspaper Awards, bringing the newspaper’s total to 153 awards since it was relaunched in 2018.

Marking its 50th anniversary this year, the newspaper received Awards of Excellence for page design and illustrations, including recognition for cover pages and special coverage.

Arab News secured three awards in the “Sectional Front Pages — Nationwide Newspaper” category for its “Spotlight — 2023 in Review” series, which provided in-depth analysis of key regional affairs and events from the past year.

The Riyadh-based publication was also recognized in the “Cover and Cover Story — Nationwide Newspapers” category for its 2024 Saudi National Day special edition, which highlighted the Kingdom’s bid to host the 2034 FIFA World Cup.

Another win came in the “News Pages — Environmental Protection” category for a feature on the Arabian leopard and Saudi Arabia’s conservation efforts, while the special edition dedicated to the Saudi Olympic team at Paris 2024 also received an award.

In the Illustration category, the newspaper won an award of excellence for artwork depicting a raised fist in black-and-white keffiyeh motifs, designed for an opinion piece on the Palestinian struggle after the Oct. 7 attack.

Arab News also won in the “Special Pages” category for its Roshn Saudi Pro League season-opening coverage.

Launched in 1999, the European Newspaper Awards, organized by Norbert Kupper, celebrates innovation in print and digital journalism, encouraging the exchange of creative ideas in the media industry.

The 26th edition of the competition featured newspapers from 22 countries, with more than 3,000 entries in 20 categories, making it one of the world’s largest newspaper design contests.

This year’s participants included prominent publications such as Germany’s Frankfurter Allgemeine Sonntagszeitung, the UK’s Sunday Times, and Spain’s El Periodico.

Previous award-winning projects include the “Riyadh Expo 2030” campaign, the investigative series “The Kingdom vs. Captagon,” and the special edition for the FIFA Qatar World Cup 2022.

For more information about Arab News and its award-winning projects, visit arabnews.com/greatesthits.