The U.S. Supreme Court has fast-tracked TikTok’s challenge to a law that could lead to its ban in the country, scheduling oral arguments for January 10.
The move highlights the case’s importance, as it involves balancing free speech rights with national security concerns.
The contentious law, formally named the Protecting Americans From Foreign Adversary Controlled Applications Act, mandates that ByteDance, TikTok’s Chinese parent company, divest the app to a non-Chinese entity or face a ban in the U.S.
The Supreme Court has allotted two hours for the January hearing, directing both sides to submit briefs by December 27 addressing whether the legislation violates the First Amendment.
The law was signed by President Joe Biden earlier this year following bipartisan concerns over the app’s potential threat to national security.
TikTok argued that the legislation infringes on free speech protections, while the Biden administration and lawmakers have highlighted potential risks tied to its Chinese ownership.
According to the New York Times, officials have expressed fears that TikTok could expose sensitive user data to the Chinese government or serve as a vehicle for covert disinformation campaigns.
However, no concrete evidence of such actions has been made public.
Critics of the app’s operations also point out that U.S. platforms like Facebook and YouTube are blocked in China, while TikTok itself operates under strict restrictions in the country.
