We reported yesterday on a US judge blocking the Trump administration’s order that TikTok be banned from Apple and Google’s app stores this weekend. Yesterday, the ruling was unsealed, revealing his reasoning.
One of the key reasons was that the president does NOT have the authority to regulate or prohibit “either (a) the importation or exportation of ‘information or informational materials’; or (b) ‘personal communication[s], which do not involve a transfer of anything of value.’”
Key arguments made by TikTok’s legal team in their efforts to block the ban included the claim that the app is akin to “a news wire feed” (information!), alongside noting that more than 100 million Americans are using the app (communication!).
The judge agreed, and TikTok stayed on the app stores, although it’s still possible that the administration will appeal. Techdirt has more analysis of the ruling, if you’re keen to dive in.
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