TikTok and its Chinese parent company ByteDance have requested a U.S. court to overturn a law that would ban the app in the U.S. by January 19, 2024. The companies argue that divesting TikTok’s U.S. assets is not feasible. They claim the U.S. government has avoided meaningful settlement talks since August 2022.
The law, signed by President Biden in April, mandates ByteDance to sell TikTok’s U.S. operations or face a ban. ByteDance has shared details of a proposed national security agreement, which included significant measures to protect U.S. user data, but negotiations halted in 2022.
ByteDance and TikTok argue the law infringes on free speech and singles out TikTok unfairly, ignoring other apps with significant Chinese ties. The U.S. Justice Department defends the law, citing national security concerns.
The U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia will hear arguments on September 16. The outcome could influence future U.S. actions on foreign-owned apps. The law also prohibits app stores from offering TikTok and bars internet hosting services from supporting it unless ByteDance divests.
