ByteDance and TikTok filed an emergency motion on Monday asking an appeals court to temporarily block a law passed by Congress that would remove the TikTok app from the U.S. unless the social network's Chinese owners divest their investment by January 19.
Reuters reported that the two companies warned in the motion that without a court order, the law would take effect and "TikTok, one of the most popular speech platforms in the United States, will shut down its more than 170 million domestic monthly active users on the eve of the presidential inauguration."
The companies filed the motion after a federal appeals court voted unanimously that the "sell or ban" legislation was not unconstitutional. TikTok CEO also previously responded to this ruling, stating that he plans to appeal to the Supreme Court and expressed his belief that the U.S. Supreme Court will protect Americans’ right to free speech.
President-elect Donald Trump promised voters during his campaign that he would try to save the popular social media app if elected.
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