TikTok and a group of creators on the platform will face off with the Justice Department in the US Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia in September. President Joe Biden signed the legislation into law on April 24. As it stands, ByteDance has until Jan. 19, 2025, to either sell TikTok or face a ban in the US due to national security concerns. TikTok and a group of creators filed separate lawsuits against the US government to challenge the new law, though the White House has said it ultimately wants to see the app’s Chinese-based ownership come to an end.
The court announced a fast-track schedule for the cases on Tuesday after all parties requested it earlier this month. Oral arguments will begin in September, and all parties hope a ruling will come by Dec. 6. If necessary, both sides also want to see the Supreme Court review the ruling to make a final decision.
I wonder if ByteDance would consider relocating its headquarters from Beijing to another region to evade these legal battles, but it seems like too big of a move just to appease the US.