ByteDance has given up hope of overturning the TikTok ban in the US and has appealed to the Supreme Court

Last week, the US Federal Court of Appeals rejected ByteDance's lawsuit and ruled that the TikTok ban does not violate the First Amendment and should not be cancelled.

Representatives of the Chinese company are making another attempt to overturn the TikTok ban in the US and have appealed to the Supreme Court.

Here's What We Know

The decision to ban TikTok is due to take effect on 19 January - the day before Trump's inauguration. TikTok representatives are asking the Supreme Court to reconsider their case and re-examine whether it infringes on the freedom of speech guaranteed by the First Amendment.

Company spokesman Michael Hughes said:

TikTok is asking the court to do what it traditionally does in free speech cases: apply the strict scrutiny test to the speech ban and conclude that it violates the First Amendment.

If the Supreme Court upholds TikTok's ban within the US - ByteDance will be forced to sell the social network to someone in the US or leave the country.

Note that Donald Trump several years ago was in favour of banning TikTok in the U.S., but during the 2024 election race he dramatically changed his mind and says that he is no longer against TikTok, which "holds a special place in his heart", and his opinion could significantly affect the outcome of the case.

Source: NBC News