A US panel of three judges on Dec 6 had unanimously rejected TikTok’s argument that law is unconstitutional
WASHINGTON: (UrduPoint/Pakistan Point News-Dec 10th, 2024) ByteDance and its video-sharing app TikTok have filed a plea with a U.S. court to temporarily halt the enforcement of a law requiring TikTok to either be sold in the United States by January 19 or face a ban.
The companies submitted an emergency petition to the US Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia.
In the petition, they stated that the law will take effect on January 19, 2025, forcing TikTok, a platform used by over 170 million Americans monthly, to shut down.
TikTok and ByteDance initially challenged the law in court in May 2024, and the first hearing was held on September 16.
US court upholds law proposing ban on TikTok
On December 6, a panel of three judges unanimously rejected TikTok’s argument that the law is unconstitutional.
Citing national security concerns, the Court of Appeals upheld the law proposing a ban on TikTok.
Under this US law, TikTok must sell its US operations by January 19 or face a ban.
In their latest filing, ByteDance and TikTok stated their intention to take the case to the U.S. Supreme Court, requesting a temporary suspension of the law to allow time for further legal action.
The companies also noted that newly elected U.S. President Donald Trump has expressed a commitment to lifting the ban on TikTok.
They argued that halting the law’s enforcement temporarily would assist the Trump administration, which takes office on January 20, in determining its stance on the matter.
Meanwhile, the U.S. Department of Justice urged the court to immediately dismiss TikTok’s plea. TikTok asked the court to schedule a hearing on this matter on December 16.
If the Supreme Court does not overturn the Court of Appeals’ decision, TikTok’s fate will rest in the hands of outgoing President Joe Biden, who has the authority to extend the January 19 deadline by 90 days, allowing the incoming Trump administration to resolve the sale of the app.
Interestingly, during his first term as president in 2020, Donald Trump attempted to ban TikTok but was unsuccessful. However, before the November 2024 presidential elections, he stated that he would not permit a ban on TikTok.
National Security Advisor Mike Waltz, nominated by Trump, commented in an interview that the newly elected president is keen on saving TikTok.
Waltz emphasized the importance of allowing American users access to the app while simultaneously ensuring the protection of the user data.
It may be mentioned here that the House of Representatives approved the TikTok ban bill on April 20, followed by Senate approval on April 24.
