A federal appeals court has unanimously upheld legislation that could lead to TikTok's ban in the United States by mid-January 2024, dealing a major blow to the popular video-sharing platform.
The three-judge panel from the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit rejected TikTok's petition to overturn the law requiring its Chinese parent company ByteDance to sell the app to a non-Chinese owner by January 19 or face a nationwide ban.
The ruling impacts over 170 million American users who have embraced TikTok as a key platform for entertainment and self-expression. Content creators who rely on the app for their livelihood now face uncertainty about their future income streams.
TikTok had challenged the law on grounds that it unfairly targeted the company and would violate First Amendment rights of American users. However, the judges dismissed these arguments, stating the legislation was specifically designed to address control by foreign adversaries and protect U.S. citizens' data.
ByteDance maintains that selling TikTok would be impossible, citing potential roadblocks from the Chinese government. The situation presents a complex challenge for President-elect Donald Trump, who has expressed support for the app but faces limited options under the new law taking effect just before his inauguration.
The ruling marks a decisive moment in the years-long scrutiny of TikTok over national security concerns related to its Chinese ownership. Unless ByteDance finds a way to sell or legally challenge the decision further, millions of Americans could lose access to one of social media's most influential platforms.