TikTok has announced plans to end their operations in the US this month.
The social media video platform are to cease operations in the country from January 19, unless the Supreme Court blocks or delays its ban.
Confirming plans to shut down their operations from that date, this would be a last resort if the Supreme Court are to decide to enforce laws forcing the Chinese-owned platform to sell to a third party and cut ties with their parent company ByteDance.
This comes after the US federal appeals panel unanimously voted to uphold the law banning TikTok in the US from that date, unless it its sold off by then, or if the Supreme Court offers the company another option.
It has been argued that this ban on the use of the app impinges on the country's First Amendment. But this was rejected by the courts, which have said that they seek to protect free speech.
They also said that they want to limit "a foreign adversary nation" being able to "gather data on people in the United States".
The sell-or-ban measure was introduced by President Joe Biden last year, following an ongoing dispute regarding claims that the company's ownership could allow the Chinese Government to be allowed access to the data of millions of American users.
So far, the app has been banned on government-owned devices across more than 30 American states, Canada and the European Union, amid concerns that it could be security risk. It was also banned nationwide in India in 2021, before being banned in Taiwan and Afghanistan the following year.
This ban in the US has also been publicly opposed by incoming US President Donald Trump, despite supporting it during his first term in the White House.
Mr Trump has requested the Supreme Court delay this ban, although whether or not this will have an impact on the court's decision remains unclear.
The President filed a legal suit stating that he "opposes banning TikTok", and "seeks the ability to resolve the issues at hand through political means once he takes office".
Tomorrow (January 10), the court will also hear more arguments on the law, which requires TikTok to be sold off by or break ties with ByteDance or face being banned by January 10.
