A US federal appeals court has upheld a law that requires social media app TikTok to sell to an American owner or face a nationwide ban from January 19, 2025.
The decision is a major step in the long-running battle over the popular social media platform’s relationship with Chinese parent company ByteDance.
The court rejected TikTok’s argument that the law violates the U.S. Constitution, saying the law is about national security. “The statute targets the control of a foreign adversary, not the content or speech on TikTok,” the judges said.
TikTok will appeal to the Supreme Court. “This ban is based on flimsy and fictitious concerns, which amounts to censorship. If enacted, it would silence more than 170 million Americans,” said spokesman Michael Hughes.
After the court ruling, ByteDance has called it impossible and said it will not sell TikTok.
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 ownership is a risk.
The court agreed, saying, “Even without evidence of manipulation in the United States, the threat is substantial enough to operate.” The law also allows President Biden to extend the January deadline once, but no decision has been made.
If banned, app stores and internet providers will face fines for hosting TikTok. Analysts say social media platforms like Meta, YouTube and Snapchat will benefit from TikTok’s removal.
American content creators are worried. “I don’t want Zuckerberg to own TikTok. That’s crazy,” said one. “I hope Tik Tok survives but it’s not looking good,” said another.
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 concerns without targeting specific apps.
As the deadline looms, TikTok’s fate in the US depends on its appeal or last-minute deal. For now, its 170 million US users are missing.