19 hours Ago
PHOENIX — The future of the popular video-sharing app TikTok is uncertain as the Supreme Court prepares to hear the company's case against a proposed U.S. ban.
TikTok is challenging the ban, which was signed into law by President Biden in April, citing concerns over national security. RELATED: Trump asks Supreme Court to delay TikTok ban so he can weigh in after he takes office The company argues that the ban would infringe on users' freedom of speech. "I think it's something very scary for us.
.. to know we are here close to the deadline already," said IIse Valenzuela Sears, owner of AZ Taco King in Glendale.
Sears credits TikTok with exponentially growing her business, which started as a small taco venture making $500 a week and eventually hit $1.3 million in sales in the first year. "It was insane to see the growth," Valenzuela Sears said.
TikTok has become an essential platform for many businesses, including Sears', which relies on the app to reach local customers. "When I post on TikTok or people post on TikTok, it's locally. It's people in our community.
It's people in our neighborhood that are seeing our videos," Sears said. The Supreme Court is set to hear TikTok's argument on Jan. 10, just days before the company's deadline to sell its social media platform or face a ban.
According to the Associated Press, on Friday, President-elect Donald Trump asked the Supreme Court to put a pause on the Jan. 19 deadline until his administration can pursue a "political resolution." In a recent visit to Phoenix, Trump hinted that he was "Going to have to start thinking about TikTok," going on to say, "Maybe we oughta keep this sucker around for a little while.
" Breanna Ricafort, a Valley resident who makes her living off of TikTok, says she is hopeful that the app will be allowed to stay. "That would be phenomenal if [Trump] decided to keep it, I think it would help a lot of people," Ricafort said. Her business, Claiming Stardust , sells crystals and has taken off on TikTok, with sales reaching $105,000 last year.
"I have two special needs kids, and I cannot work a normal nine to five," Ricafort said. " It's very scary for my business, for my livelihood." Although Ricafort says there's no other platform that allows her to reach customers like TikTok, she says she'll make necessary changes if the ban happens.
"I don't have a brick-and-mortar store, so I will have to create an entirely new following on another platform or multiple platforms," Ricafort said. "I might end up having to change my business model altogether." Watch 12News+ for free You can now watch 12News content anytime, anywhere thanks to the 12News+ app! The free 12News+ app from 12News lets users stream live events — including daily newscasts like "Today in AZ" and "12 News" and our daily lifestyle program, "Arizona Midday"—on Roku and Amazon Fire TV .
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