TikTok has asked the US Supreme Court to temporarily block a law that could force the popular video-sharing platform’s Chinese owner, ByteDance, to sell the app or shut it down by mid-January. The law, signed by President Joe Biden in April, mandates that TikTok be removed from US app stores and web hosting services unless ByteDance divests from the platform by January 19.
TikTok filed a request with the Supreme Court to delay the law’s implementation while it appeals a lower court ruling that upheld the law. The platform hopes for a decision on the request by January 6.
In its filing, TikTok argued that the law imposes a sweeping and unprecedented restriction on free speech, claiming that it would effectively shut down one of America’s most popular platforms just one day before a presidential inauguration.
TikTok warned of substantial financial and competitive harm to the company and the small businesses that depend on the platform.
A potential ban could further strain US-China relations at a time when Donald Trump is preparing to take office on January 20. Trump, who previously sought to ban TikTok during his first term, has now emerged as an unlikely ally of the app, raising concerns that a ban would benefit Meta, the parent company of Facebook. Trump’s position reflects ongoing conservative criticisms of Meta for allegedly suppressing right-wing content.
The US government has expressed national security concerns, alleging that TikTok allows Beijing to collect data and spy on users, claims both China and ByteDance strongly deny. A three-judge US appeals court panel recently upheld the law’s requirement for TikTok to divest from Chinese ownership, stating it was vital to protect US national security.
