TikTok has filed a petition challenging a DC Court ruling that upheld a sale-or-ban agreement, which could lead to the app being banned in the U.S. The ruling, based on national security concerns linked to the app’s Chinese ownership and data privacy issues, was confirmed by the Court’s Circuit Panel on December 6. In response, TikTok’s parent company, ByteDance, has requested a temporary injunction to allow the matter to be reviewed by the Supreme Court.
TikTok Challenges DC Court Ruling to Uphold Sale-or-Ban Agreement as the company seeks a delay of the law, which is set to take effect on January 19, 2025. The company argues that the law, which could result in TikTok being banned just before the inauguration of President Donald Trump, would significantly harm the app and its millions of U.S. users. TikTok has urged the Supreme Court to step in, stating that only the highest court has the jurisdiction to review the case.
The proposed law follows growing concerns among U.S. lawmakers regarding TikTok’s potential data privacy risks. Given that Chinese companies, including ByteDance, are required by Chinese law to share data with the government upon request, the app has faced increasing scrutiny. TikTok argues that banning the platform would infringe on free speech rights, a position it defended during a hearing at a Washington DC appeals court in September.
TikTok Challenges DC Court Ruling to Uphold Sale-or-Ban Agreement, highlighting the company’s ongoing legal battle to prevent the law from taking effect. Lawyers for TikTok emphasized that ByteDance is not directly controlled by the Chinese government, though the court judges disagreed, asserting that the company remains under Chinese influence. The U.S. Senate approved the bill to ban TikTok in April 2024, and ByteDance has until January 9, 2025, to either sell the app or face its potential ban.
TikTok’s CEO, Shou Zi Chew, expressed disappointment over the U.S. House of Representatives vote in March, describing the situation as a setback for free speech. As the battle over TikTok’s future in the U.S. continues, the company hopes for a favorable decision from the Supreme Court to prevent a sweeping ban.
