TikTok’s Future at Risk as US Appeals Court Backs Divestment Order by January 2025
News Desk
Islamabad: A federal appeals court in the United States has upheld a law mandating Chinese-owned ByteDance to sell its popular short-video platform, TikTok, by January 19, 2025, or face a nationwide ban.
The ruling escalates scrutiny over TikTok, which boasts 170 million users in the US, and signals growing bipartisan concern about potential national security risks posed by Chinese influence.
The three-judge panel, consisting of Sri Srinivasan, Neomi Rao, and Douglas Ginsburg, dismissed legal challenges filed by TikTok and its users, asserting that the law is consistent with constitutional provisions.
The judges emphasized that the legislation, resulting from bipartisan cooperation, addresses a “well-substantiated national security threat posed by the People’s Republic of China.”
In response, TikTok announced plans to appeal the ruling to the US Supreme Court. CEO Shou Zi Chew expressed disappointment in the decision, describing it as a setback in an internal email to staff.
Free Speech Debate Intensifies
The ruling has sparked criticism from digital rights advocates. The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) argued that banning TikTok would violate the First Amendment rights of millions of Americans who use the platform for expression and communication.
TikTok spokesperson Michael Hughes reiterated the company’s stance, calling the ban “outright censorship” and asserting that the Supreme Court will protect Americans’ constitutional rights. “This decision silences over 170 million voices without concrete evidence of harm,” Hughes said.
The National Security Argument
The ruling is framed against the backdrop of escalating tensions between the U.S. and China. The Justice Department has expressed concerns about the potential misuse of user data by the Chinese government, with Attorney General Merrick Garland calling the court’s decision “a critical step in blocking Beijing’s ability to weaponize TikTok.”
Proponents of the ban, such as Democratic Congressman Josh Gottheimer, have also raised fears that TikTok could be used to spread Chinese propaganda or manipulate public opinion.
TikTok’s Efforts to Address Concerns
TikTok has maintained that its US operations are independent, with American user data stored domestically under the oversight of Oracle. However, critics remain skeptical, citing ByteDance’s connections to Beijing.
The company has faced increasing pressure from state legislatures, with Montana enacting a statewide ban earlier this year, though a court order has temporarily blocked its enforcement.
With just over six weeks before the deadline for ByteDance to divest TikTok’s US operations, the stakes are high. The upcoming Supreme Court appeal is expected to be pivotal, with potential far-reaching implications for how foreign-owned digital platforms operate in the US.
As the deadline nears, TikTok’s 170 million users in the US could be forced to seek alternatives, leaving the future of one of the world’s most popular social media apps uncertain.
Additional input from Samaa News website
