TikTok ban: US appeal court to hear legal challenges in September, over law for China-based ByteDance to divest US assets

Under the appeal court schedule, the creators, TikTok and ByteDance must file legal briefs by June 20 and the Justice Department by July 26, with reply briefs due by August 15.

TikTok said that with a fast-track schedule, it believes the legal challenge can be resolved without it needing to request emergency preliminary injunctive relief.

TikTok and the Justice Department have sought a ruling by December 6 to seek review from the Supreme Court if needed.

The law, signed by President Joe Biden on April 24, gives ByteDance until January 19 to sell TikTok or face a ban. The White House says it wants to see Chinese-based ownership ended on national security grounds, but not a ban on TikTok.

The law prohibits app stores like Apple and Alphabet’s Google from offering TikTok and bars internet hosting services from supporting TikTok unless ByteDance divests TikTok.

Driven by worries among US lawmakers that China could access data on Americans or spy on them with the app, the measure was passed overwhelmingly in Congress just weeks after being introduced.