• The U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia upheld a law requiring TikTok's Chinese owner, ByteDance, to sell the app in the U.S. or face a ban. This was reported by Financial Times.
  • The court confirmed the constitutionality of the law, ruling that it does not violate First Amendment protections of free speech, a key argument made by TikTok. The company plans to appeal the decision to the Supreme Court.
  • According to the law, signed by then-President Joe Biden in April 2024, ByteDance has nine months to find a U.S. buyer for TikTok. The President may grant a three-month extension if "progress" is demonstrated. Authorities believe TikTok poses a national security threat.
  • If ByteDance refuses to sell, TikTok will be banned. The company has argued that a sale is "impossible from commercial, technological, and legal perspectives," particularly as the app's success relies on its recommendation algorithm, which China has opposed selling.
  • The decision "raises new questions" for Donald Trump, who won the presidential election in November, according to The New York Times. During his campaign, Trump expressed support for TikTok but lacks a clear plan to "save" the app.
  • In 2020, during Trump’s first term, his administration attempted to ban TikTok, citing concerns over user data being shared with Chinese authorities. In 2021, Biden revoked the order but initiated a review of the app.