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TikTok and the Department of Justice have requested a rapid review of a new law requiring ByteDance to divest its US assets by January 19 or face a ban. 

The US Justice Department and TikTok jointly appealed to the US Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia, urging a ruling by December 6 to allow time for a potential Supreme Court review before the deadline. The Justice Department and TikTok argued that resolving this matter promptly is important due to the platform’s extensive user base.

This development comes after TikTok content creators filed a lawsuit to block the law, arguing that it threatens the app used by 170 million Americans and has significantly impacted American culture. The creators’ lawsuit followed a similar one filed by TikTok and ByteDance, which claimed that the law violates the First Amendment and other constitutional rights. 

More on the potential ban:
President Joe Biden signed a law on April 24, citing national security concerns, that mandates ByteDance sell TikTok by January 19 or face a ban. The White House supports ending Chinese-based ownership but not an outright ban on TikTok. Significant concerns have been raised over Chinese access to American data, foreign influence, and potential espionage, which ultimately led to overwhelming support in Congress.

On the contrary, some have argued that banning TikTok gives Meta “too much power” over social media. In addition, TikTok argues that all American data is stored in the US and is “impossible” to access from China.