TikTok has asked a federal appeals court to block enforcement of a law that could lead to its shutdown until the Supreme Court reviews the case.
The legal challenge targets a statute requiring TikTok to divest from its China-based parent company, ByteDance, or face a ban.
Last week, a panel of three judges upheld the law’s constitutionality, leaving TikTok and ByteDance warning that the app could cease operations in the U.S. as soon as Jan. 19, 2025, if the decision stands.
The platform, which boasts over 170 million American users, said such a shutdown would have severe consequences.
What Are the Potential Impacts of a Ban?
TikTok argued that even a temporary ban would deal a devastating blow to its U.S. operations.
According to its legal filing, a one-month shutdown would cost the app approximately one-third of its daily American users. Additionally, the company expects to lose 29 percent of its global targeted advertising revenue for 2025.