TikTok appeals to US Supreme Court to block looming ban

By Yasin Gungor

ISTANBUL (AA) - TikTok filed an emergency appeal Monday with the US Supreme Court seeking to block a law that could lead to the short video app being banned nationwide starting on Jan. 19, 2025.

The move comes after a federal appeals court upheld legislation that requires TikTok’s parent company, ByteDance, to divest its ownership due to "national security concerns."

TikTok’s appeal argues that the law violates the First Amendment rights of its 170 million US users. The company asked the Supreme Court to pause the law's enforcement while reviewing its case.

The timing is notable as US President-elect Donald Trump prepares to take office on Jan. 20. Reports emerged of Trump meeting with TikTok CEO Shou Zi Chew at his Mar-a-Lago club on Monday.

Trump, who has previously expressed support for TikTok, said Monday at a press briefing at Mar-a-Lago with SoftBank CEO Masayoshi Son: “We’ll take a look at TikTok. I have a warm spot in my heart for TikTok because I won youth by 34 points. And there are those that say that TikTok has something to do with that.”

The Protecting Americans From Foreign Adversary Controlled Applications Act was enacted in April this year over concerns that TikTok could "enable Chinese government espionage or propaganda."

If the Supreme Court denies TikTok’s request and ByteDance fails to divest, the app faces removal from app stores and a shutdown in the US.