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Lawyers representing US President-elect Donald Trump have asked the Supreme Court to stop a law that would have forced TikTok owner ByteDance to sell the short-form video app or ban it in the US.
If the app doesn’t sell, the ban will take effect in a few weeks, on January 19. ByteDance is formally challenging the constitutionality of a law called the Protecting Americans from Foreign Enemies Controlled Applications Act with the Supreme Court. will hear arguments on January 10.
In new documentationTrump’s lawyers describe the embargo, or sell-off, the day before his inauguration as “unfortunate timing” that interferes with his “ability to direct US foreign policy.”
The petition does not specify what approach Trump might take to the issue, but it claims that “only he has the expertise in dealing, the electoral mandate and the political will to negotiate a resolution to save the platform while addressing the expressed national security concerns.” By the government.”
The document also notes that he currently has 14.7 million followers on TikTok, which “allows him to appreciate the importance of TikTok as a unique vehicle for freedom of expression, including mainstream political speech.”
Supporters of the law have argued that TikTok is a national security threat because the Chinese government can use it to collect information and push propaganda to US audiences. Trump tried to ban TikTok during his first term as president, but he did expressed his support for the program more recently. During the presidential campaign, he posted on Truth Social, “VOTE TRUMP FOR ALL WHO WANT TO SAVE TIK TOK IN AMERICA!” wrote.
A number of civil liberties and free speech groups, including the American Civil Liberties Union and Electronic Frontier they submitted their references In support of TikTok’s appeal, it argues that “the government has not presented credible evidence of continuing or imminent harm caused by TikTok.”
