Brief Synopsis:

What happens when your fabulous life as a TikTok influencer collides with a fierce debate over free speech, government overreach and geopolitics? When a bipartisan U.S. Congress passes a law to ban TikTok over national security concerns, it marks an unprecedented attempt to restrict a major media platform used by 170 million Americans. TikTok Never Dies follows three influencers as they join the platform’s lawsuit against the federal government to defend their livelihoods and First Amendment claims. As the case moves to the Supreme Court, the film traces the app’s rise from a Chinese startup to a global cultural force and geopolitical flashpoint. After a crushing defeat in court, TikTok briefly shuts down before the story takes an unexpected turn: Donald Trump—who first tried to ban TikTok in 2020 but later built a massive following on the app during his presidential campaign—uses executive action to keep the platform operating in the United States. Blending the platform’s signature humor and creativity with a clear-eyed look at the stakes of its survival, the film explores deeper questions about the power of social media, efforts to regulate it and who ultimately shapes the future of the digital public sphere.