Appeals Court Upholds U.S. Ban of TikTok

 A three-judge panel of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit ruled that TikTok can be banned in the U.S. over national security concerns, upholding a federal law requiring the popular social media app to shed its Chinese ownership to keep operating. The court said Congress has the power to take action against TikTok to protect U.S. interests. The ruling rejected a First Amendment challenge brought by the app and several of its star users, who argued the ban was an unconstitutional infringement on free speech. The sell-or-ban law—signed by President Biden in April 2024—passed with bipartisan support after lawmakers received classified briefings from the intelligence community about China’s ability to use TikTok to surveil Americans and spread Chinese propaganda.