TikTok Files Emergency Injunction to Halt Looming U.S. Ban

On Monday (Dec. 9), TikTok filed an emergency injunction with a federal appeals court to temporarily block a law requiring its parent company, ByteDance, to sell the app by January 19, 2025, or risk being banned in the United States.

TikTok argues the mandate would cause “irreparable injury,” claiming that small creators and businesses would collectively lose over $1 billion in revenue within a single month. In a statement shared on social media, TikTok highlighted its economic impact:

“In 2023 alone, the advertising, marketing, and organic reach on TikTok contributed $24.2 billion, while TikTok’s own operations added another $8.5 billion to the U.S. GDP.”

The filing warns of significant user and talent losses if the platform becomes unavailable in the U.S., with TikTok projecting a one-third drop in its U.S. daily user base within a month. “Many current and would-be users and creators in the United States and abroad will migrate to competing platforms,” the court document states, likely referencing rivals such as Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook.

First Amendment Concerns

ByteDance also argued the law violates First Amendment rights, asserting that TikTok is a vital platform for free speech.

“As one of the most popular speech platforms in America, TikTok is used by regular citizens, businesses, and politicians alike — including both major-party candidates [Kamala Harris and Donald Trump] during the most recent presidential election to communicate with American voters.”

Legal Deadlines and TikTok’s Defense

TikTok’s lawyers have urged the appeals court to issue a decision by December 16 to allow time for emergency relief from the Supreme Court if needed. The U.S. government is expected to file its response by Thursday (Dec. 11), with TikTok and ByteDance submitting their reply the following day.

The injunction follows a U.S. Court of Appeals decision that upheld the law requiring ByteDance to sell TikTok to a non-Chinese company or divest its ownership. TikTok criticized the ruling as being based on “inaccurate, flawed, and hypothetical information.”

With billions of dollars and the platform’s future at stake, this legal battle could have sweeping implications for creators, businesses, and free speech in the digital age.