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Federal Appeals Court Upholds TikTok Ban, Pressures Sale from Chinese Parent Company
A federal appeals court has upheld a law that mandates the sale of TikTok’s Chinese parent company, ByteDance, or face a nationwide ban on the hugely popular video app. The ruling, issued by a three-judge panel of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia, rejected TikTok’s argument that the law infringes on the free speech rights of its millions of American users. The court emphasized that TikTok’s extensive reach necessitated Congress and the Biden administration’s focus on national security, prioritizing the app’s detachment from Chinese control.
The law stipulates that TikTok must divest from ByteDance by January 19, or it may face a ban. A 90-day extension is possible if "significant progress" toward a sale is demonstrated. This ruling comes at a complicated time, as President-elect Donald Trump, who has previously sought to restrict the app, has voiced intentions to safeguard TikTok. The future of the app depends on negotiation possibilities, such as a partnership with American investors or acknowledgment of TikTok’s steps to secure data from Chinese access through initiatives like Project Texas.
Enforcement of the ban would not lead to an immediate shutdown of TikTok; rather, the app would gradually become obsolete, lacking software updates and ultimately leading to a degraded user experience for its 170 million American users. Trump has also expressed that a ban could bolster competitors like Meta, complicating the political landscape further.
The ruling may prompt a protracted legal battle, as either party could request a re-examination from the D.C. appeals court or seek Supreme Court involvement. As the situation evolves, the future of TikTok in the U.S. remains uncertain.
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