A US federal appeals court has upheld a law that orders social media app, TikTok, to sell to an American owner or face a nationwide ban starting 19 January 2025.
The decision marks a significant step in the long-standing battle over the popular social media platform’s ties to its Chinese parent company, ByteDance.
The court rejected TikTok’s argument that the law violates the US Constitution, saying the law is about national security. “The law targets control by a foreign adversary, not the content or speech on TikTok,” the judges said.
TikTok will appeal to the Supreme Court. Spokesperson Michael Hughes said, “This ban is based on flawed and hypothetical concerns, amounting to censorship. If enforced, it will silence over 170 million Americans.”
Following the court verdict, ByteDance has said it won’t sell TikTok, calling that impossible.
US officials say TikTok could allow the Chinese government to access user data or manipulate content for propaganda. No evidence has been shown but the government says the ownership is the risk.
The court agreed, saying, “Even without evidence of manipulation in the US, the risk is great enough to act.” The law also allows President Biden to extend the January deadline once, but no decision has been made.
If the ban happens, app stores and internet providers will face penalties for hosting TikTok. Analysts say that social media platforms like Meta, YouTube, and Snapchat will gain from TikTok’s removal.
American content creators are worried. “I don’t want Zuckerberg to own TikTok. This is insane,” one said. Another said, “I hope TikTok survives but it doesn’t look good.”
Critics say the ban is too much. Patrick Toomey from the ACLU said it sets a “bad precedent,” adding, “The government has no evidence of harm.”
Civil rights groups and experts have also said a broader privacy law could address the concerns without targeting specific apps.
As the deadline looms, TikTok’s fate in the US is up to its appeal or a last-minute deal. For now, its 170 million American users are in limbo.
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