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By Nathaniel Smith, Editor

The overwhelmingly successful social media phenomenon TikTok took the world by storm when the platform launched in September of 2016, and it became the most downloaded app in the United States by 2018. To date, TikTok has more than 1.5 billion active monthly users globally, and 170 million users within the United States. To put that into perspective, that is over half of the U.S. population. However, it seems as though that is all about to change.

As of today, Friday, January 17, the United States Supreme Court unanimously upheld the federal law signed by President Biden to ban the video-sharing social media giant if it is not sold by the China-based parent company, ByteDance. This is set to take effect this Sunday, January 19 with no sale appearing to be in sight. The question you may be wondering is, “why?”

Since TikTok is owned and operated by ByteDance, there have been many conversations revolving around the collection of sensitive user data. United States officials are becoming increasingly concerned that the Chinese Communist Party is utilizing TikTok as a means of spying and gathering information on their adversaries – namely the United States.

While it is unclear if this is occurring, it is not unlikely. There indeed is cause for concern in regard to national security. However, do the American people hold the same consensus? Not entirely.

According to Pew Research Center, support for banning the app within the United States stood at 50% in March of 2023. As of August 2024, the most recent poll conducted, that figure fell to a mere 32%. With the majority in opposition to or unsure of the ban, it is hard to say what the reaction will be in the event that this law goes into effect.

“TikTok should remain available to Americans, but simply under American ownership or other ownership that addresses the national security concerns identified by Congress in developing this law,” said White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre. She also noted that the Biden administration will not be enforcing this ban, but will instead leave it to the discretion of the incoming Trump administration.

Interestingly, President-elect Trump is dissenting from his Republican and Democrat colleagues alike. He claims he would have been able to negotiate some form of compromise and vows to keep TikTok in the U.S. once he takes office, although it is unclear how he intends to accomplish this. This is a complete flip from 2020 when President Trump was also considering a ban in the interest of national security.

The unanimous Supreme Court decision was accompanied by an unsigned opinion:

“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 court said, adding that the law “does not violate petitioners’ First Amendment rights.”

Some small business owners turned to TikTok for the “TikTok Shop” that launched in September of 2023. This allowed small businesses and companies to massively increase their reach and sell their products to a vast ocean of people all across the world. For many small businesses, the TikTok Shop has been a complete game changer. However, a ban on the app could prove to be devastating.

“I’m very, very concerned about what’s going to happen over the next couple weeks,” said Desiree Hill, owner of family-run Crown’s Corner mechanic shop in Georgia. “And very scared about the decrease that I’m going to have in reaching customers. I’m worried I’m going to potentially lose my business in the next six months.”

Senator Tom Cotton of Arkansas wrote today on X that ByteDance had plenty of time to sell the company, and the fact that they still have not sold speaks volumes.

“ByteDance and its Chinese Communist masters had nine months to sell TikTok before the Sunday deadline. The very fact that Communist China refuses to permit its sale reveals exactly what TikTok is: a communist spy app,” said Senator Cotton. “The Supreme Court correctly rejected TikTok’s lies and propaganda masquerading as legal arguments.”

It is unclear what the outcome of this will be, and it is even less clear what to think about it. Will the United States lose access to one of the biggest social media apps of all time, or will a last minute agreement be made? Is this an overreach by our government, or is it a necessary sacrifice in the name of security? Time will tell.

Benjamin Franklin Day is celebrated on January 17^th each year to honor the birth of Benjamin Franklin, one of the United States' most important Founding Fathers.

He is best known for his experiments with electricity, which contributed to the development of modern electrical science. Benjamin Franklin is credited with the invention of bifocal glasses. In 1731, Franklin founded the first subscription library, the Library Company of Philadelphia. In 1741, his pamphlet on the need to educate the youth in Pennsylvania resulted in the founding of the modern day University of Pennsylvania.

In addition to his passion for science and literature, Franklin spoke five languages; English, French, Latin, Italian and Spanish.

Benjamin Franklin died on April 17, 1790 at the age of 84 years old.

All of Franklin's inventions: lightning rod, bifocals, swim fins, glass armonica, Franklin's electrostatic machine, Franklin stove, urinary catheter.

State Sen. Gary Byrne (R-Byrneville) recently met with legislators and several students from around the state to discuss promoting a culture of life and advancing protections for pregnant women and unborn children. State Sen. R. Michael Young (R-Indianapolis) recently introduced Senate Bill 171, which Byrne joined as an author, to help in this goal by holding in-state and out-of-state distributors of dangerous abortion pills accountable for putting pregnant women and their unborn children's lives at risk.

A recent case study noted that 29% of participants who took these pills reported adverse events like heavy bleeding or a fever, and 43% needed to seek subsequent medical help from a health provider. Another case study saw 0.7% of participants needing a blood transfusion, 2.6% needing antibiotics for an infection and 8.7% seeking medical attention due to a symptom resulting from taking the pills. Advertised side effects of the pills range from possibly severe pain to maternal death, and the pills can force the death of unborn children.

"Holding distributors of dangerous abortion pills accountable is an important step to ensure both pregnant women and their unborn children are protected from those who would take advantage of them for profit," Byrne said. "I will always support protecting the sanctity of human life, especially for the most vulnerable among us."

Byrne encourages residents of Senate District 47 to contact him with any questions or comments they may have. Byrne can be reached by filling out a "Contact Me" form online at www.IndianaSenateRepublicans.com/Byrne or by phone at 800-382-9467.

Attorney General Todd Rokita announced that Indiana and 23 other states have won a battle against a California effort to impose a radical climate agenda on all states by requiring trucking companies operating in California to use electric vehicles in their fleets.

Following pressure applied by Attorney General Rokita and likeminded attorneys general, California dropped its request that the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) grant the state special permission to impose the mandate as part of its “Advanced Clean Fleets” regulation.

“Since the day I took office, we have fought for common sense, free enterprise and the rule of law,” Attorney General Rokita said. “Our efforts are paying off. In Indiana and across the country, liberty and prosperity are on the march while government overreach and climate radicalism are in retreat. But we cannot rest. We will stay relentless in our mission on behalf of all Hoosiers."

The proposed mandate would have forced trucking businesses from ALL states to abide by California’s edict when operating in the Golden State — and it would have applied to trucking companies that operated one truck for as little as one day per year in California.

In a September 2024 letter to the EPA, Attorney General Rokita and others explained the important principles at stake.

“Granting California a preemption waiver,” states the Nebraska-led letter, “would run headlong into the equal sovereignty of the States protected by the Constitution.”

Governor Mike Braun’s administration presented the 2025-2027 biennial budget proposal to the State Budget Committee, outlining a vision for a leaner, more efficient government that puts Hoosier families first.

The proposed budget, delivered by Secretary of Management and Budget Lisa Hershman, builds on Governor Braun’s commitment to prioritizes tax relief, public safety, and education while ensuring fiscal responsibility and efficiency.

Key Highlights Include:

K-12 Education: Universal Choice Scholarships for all families, increased funding for K-12 schools, and a 2% increase in tuition support each year.
Tax Relief: Elimination of the tip tax, phased-out tax on retirement income, and new sales tax holidays.
Public Safety: Increased funding for school safety, law enforcement, and state police salaries, along with a major investment in the Indiana National Guard.
Fiscal Integrity: Increase the FY26 rainy-day fund by $400 million, slow the growth of government expenses, put Indiana in a strong fiscal position for the future.

Governor Braun's Statement:

"This budget streamlines government operations while focusing on areas that matter most to Hoosiers—education, tax relief, and public safety. I look forward to working with the legislature to make this proposal a reality and ensure Indiana’s continued success."