A U.S. federal appeals court is expected to rule in December on the legality of a law pressuring TikTok’s parent company, China’s ByteDance, to sell or divest its U.S. operations by January 19. Failure to comply could lead to a ban on TikTok in the United States, according to Reuters.
The case is being reviewed by three Washington, D.C., federal judges—Sri Srinivasan, Neomi Rao, and Douglas Ginsburg. Their decision could have far-reaching implications for TikTok’s future in the U.S.
Potential Court Outcomes
Upholding the Law:
The court could uphold the law, forcing ByteDance to divest its U.S. assets or appeal to the Supreme Court. This would bolster the U.S. government’s stance and intensify pressure on TikTok.
Fair but Unjust for TikTok:
The law may be deemed valid but seen as unfairly targeting ByteDance and TikTok. In this scenario, the court could direct the government to substantiate claims of TikTok being a national security threat, delaying a ban.
Declaring the Law Unconstitutional:
The court could side with ByteDance, declaring the law unconstitutional for infringing on free expression and the principles of an open internet.
The Department of Justice has argued that TikTok poses a national security risk by collecting American users’ data, while TikTok has countered, calling the law discriminatory. A decision is expected by December 6, with either side likely to appeal to the Supreme Court.
