TikTok ban in America: US Federal Court rejects appeal to temporarily block ban
TikTok
TikTok's future in the United States remains uncertain, as a federal appeals court on Friday (Dec 13) refused to block a looming ban on the popular China-owned application.
The DC Circuit Court of Appeals—which upheld the law last week—declined TikTok’s request to pause the ruling in a brief, unsigned order on Friday, deeming such a block "unwarranted." The battle over TikTok's future in the US is now headed for a high-stakes Supreme Court clash.
TikTok ban
In the US, a law, set to take effect on January 19, mandates TikTok's sale to a non-Chinese owner or a full ban in the country. After the deadline, US-based app stores and internet providers could face significant fines for hosting TikTok unless it complies with the forced sale.
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TikTok's plea for Supreme Court intervention
TikTok has signalled its intention to escalate the case to the Supreme Court in its court filings, asking the top court to step in on an emergency basis if the appeals court refuses to grant interim relief.
"Out of respect for the Supreme Court’s vital role, this Court should grant an interim injunction that enables a more deliberate and orderly process," TikTok previously wrote in its court filing.
Lawyers for the company argued that the appeals court's refusal forces the Supreme Court to handle the case on its so-called shadow docket "in mere weeks", potentially over the holiday period.
Also read |TikTok fights back: ByteDance appeals against potential ban in US, calls it 'unconstitutional'
Donald Trump, the incoming president, has the one-time option to extend the deadline, reports CNN.
Meanwhile, the incumbent Biden administration has opposed TikTok's request for temporary relief, arguing that this could effectively stall the law indefinitely. Previously, officials have emphasised the urgency of addressing national security concerns linked to TikTok’s Chinese ownership. The platform’s parent company, ByteDance, has consistently denied allegations that it shares user data with the Chinese government.
(With inputs from agencies)
