TikTok’s attempt to challenge a U.S. law mandating its sale or ban by early 2025 has been rejected by a federal appeals court. The court upheld that the law aligns with bipartisan efforts to address national security concerns related to the platform’s alleged ties to the Chinese government, which TikTok and its parent company, ByteDance, have repeatedly denied.
TikTok argued that the ban would have a “staggering” impact on free speech for its users and deemed the law unconstitutional. However, the court maintained that the legislation was “carefully crafted” to address potential threats from foreign adversaries.
The U.S. government claims that TikTok’s user data could be exploited by China, a concern that has persisted despite TikTok’s assurances to protect data and its refusal to sell the platform.
With the appeal dismissed, TikTok faces a January 19, 2025, deadline to comply with the law. However, President-elect Donald Trump, who previously attempted to ban TikTok in 2020, has stated he would oppose the platform’s ban, leaving its fate uncertain.
