TikTok owner ByteDance seeks delay on US ban over divestment order

By THE MEDIA LINE STAFF

DECEMBER 10, 2024 21:54

A view shows the office of TikTok after the U.S. House of Representatives overwhelmingly passed a bill that would give TikTok's Chinese owner ByteDance about six months to divest the U.S. assets of the short-video app or face a ban, in Culver City, California, March 13, 2024. (photo credit: REUTERS/MIKE BLAKE) — A view shows the office of TikTok after the U.S. House of Representatives overwhelmingly passed a bill that would give TikTok's Chinese owner ByteDance about six months to divest the U.S. assets of the short-video app or face a ban, in Culver City, California, March 13, 2024.

(photo credit: REUTERS/MIKE BLAKE)

Biden and Trump can both play key roles in determining TikTok's fate in the US.

ByteDance, the Beijing-based owner of TikTok, filed an emergency motion on Monday with the US Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia to delay a law requiring the company to divest from the popular social media platform by January 19 or face a nationwide ban. TikTok, which has around 170 million US monthly users, argues that the law threatens to shut down “one of the nation’s most popular speech platforms.”

For more stories from The Media Line go to themedialine.org

Last Friday, a three-judge panel upheld the divestment requirement, moving the ban closer to implementation. ByteDance lawyers emphasized the need for a delay, citing President-elect Donald Trump’s pledge to prevent the ban. They stated, “The delay will give the incoming administration time to determine its position—which could moot both the impending harms and the need for Supreme Court review.”

The company’s legal team requested a decision from the appeals court by December 16, while the Justice Department has pushed for swift denial to allow sufficient time for Supreme Court consideration.

tiktok In Chinese society, they intend to fight (illustration) (credit: REUTERS)

TikTok's future in the US is on the line

President Joe Biden, who could grant a 90-day extension, and former President Trump, who returns to office on January 20, are expected to play key roles in determining TikTok’s fate unless the Supreme Court intervenes. The incoming national security adviser, Mike Waltz, noted Trump’s interest in saving TikTok but stressed the importance of safeguarding user data.

Foreign-owned social media platforms like TikTok have faced heavy scrutiny from US lawmakers over alleged national security risks. In 2022, President Biden signed a law banning TikTok from government devices, reflecting bipartisan concerns about data privacy and foreign influence.