The United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit dismissed TikTok’s appeal on Friday, upholding a law that could lead to a ban on the popular video-sharing app in the U.S. within months.
TikTok had argued that the court’s decision violated the First Amendment, which protects freedom of speech. However, the court ruled that the government’s actions were constitutional.
The court stated that the ban was intended “solely to protect that freedom from a foreign adversary nation and to limit that adversary’s ability to gather data on people in the United States.”
Signed into law by President Joe Biden in April, the legislation requires TikTok to sever ties with its China-based parent company, ByteDance, by mid-January 2025. Failure to comply will result in the app being blocked in the U.S.
The law was introduced amid growing concerns from U.S. lawmakers about the potential sharing of user data with the Chinese government, despite TikTok’s repeated assurances that it does not do so.
Critics have also warned that Chinese authorities could manipulate TikTok’s algorithms to influence U.S. users, a claim the company denies.
TikTok and ByteDance are now preparing to take their case to the U.S. Supreme Court. However, an unexpected factor could come from President-elect Donald Trump, set to take office on January 20.
During his first term, Trump attempted to ban TikTok but has since shifted his position. In his 2024 presidential campaign, he pledged to “save” the app, citing concerns that a ban would benefit competitors like Facebook.
Trump, who has a TikTok account with over 14 million followers, has not posted on the platform since his election victory. His administration’s stance could influence the future of TikTok in the U.S.