TikTok appeared in a Washington D.C. appeals court on Monday to challenge a U.S. law that could lead to its ban unless sold by Chinese parent company ByteDance.
The company argued that the legislation, prompted by national security concerns over user data vulnerability to Chinese exploitation, would have a “staggering” impact on free speech for its 170 million U.S. users.
TikTok’s lawyers denied links to the Chinese government and questioned the law’s constitutionality, emphasizing it targets the app based on speculative future risks.
While the immediate hearing involved a panel of three judges, legal experts anticipate the case could extend for months and potentially reach the Supreme Court due to its implications for free speech and national security.