US officials and lawmakers have accused TikTok’s owner ByteDance of being linked to the Chinese government.
Many have cited national security concerns over the app, claiming that it could be forced by Beijing to hand over data about its 170 million US users.
The US Justice Department has said that because of its Chinese parent company, and access to data on American users, TikTok poses “a national-security threat of immense depth and scale”.
In April 2024, US Congress passed a bill, which President Joe Biden signed into law, giving ByteDance nine months to find a US-approved buyer or see TikTok shut down across the US.
TikTok and ByteDance deny being linked to the Chinese government, or that any data would be handed over. They have also previously ruled out a sale.
The firms have filed multiple legal challenges against the law, saying it is “unconstitutional” and would have a “staggering” impact on free speech by censoring its US users.
They have said that even a temporary ban in early 2025 would have “devastating effects” on their operations and users.
The US Supreme Court has deferred TikTok and ByteDance’s request for an emergency injunction to delay a potential ban while it hears their case.
It will hear arguments from the companies, and the US government, about whether the law violates the US constitutional right to free speech, on 10 January.