TikTok files emergency injunction in effort to prevent US ban
TikTok is taking a drastic step to prevent its looming ban in the United States by filing an emergency injunction at the Supreme Court.
The social media app is petitioning the highest court in the country after its appeal against a ban, which is set to take effect next month, was rejected.
In a statement, TikTok said: “The public interest favours providing sufficient time for the Supreme Court to conduct an orderly review process and for the incoming Administration to evaluate this exceptionally important case.”
The ByteDance-owned platform is now hoping that the arrival of Donald Trump at the White House could change its fortunes.
Trump vowed to “save TikTok” after his videos were viewed by millions of people in the run-up to November’s election.
However, experts believe TikTok’s chances of escaping a ban are slim.
It previously argued that a ban would impact the free speech rights of its 170m US user base.
A court rejected TikTok’s case two weeks ago, with the Department of Justice (DOJ) stating that the latest request should also be dismissed.
The pending ban from January 19, 2025, stems from a law demanding TikTok’s sale or shutdown due to alleged ties to the Chinese government—claims that its parent company, ByteDance, denies.
TikTok warns that even a temporary ban could cause irreversible damage, including revenue loss, declining user engagement, and a potential exodus of creators.
The app’s fate now rests with the Supreme Court.
If nothing changes, TikTok will disappear from app stores on iOS and Android in the US in late January.