TikTok is one step closer to potentially being banned in the United States after a federal court panel backed a new law that could lead to the ban of the Chinese-owned video app.
On Friday, three judges from the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit rejected TikTok’s petition to overturn the law, according to The New York Times.
The decision could be a fatal blow to the app in one of its largest markets. More than 170 million Americans use TikTok for entertainment and information, turning it into a cultural phenomenon.
The looming loss of the app in the U.S. has sparked concerns from free speech advocates and creators, whose earnings depend on TikTok.
The decision also raises new questions for newly elected President Donald Trump, who has consistently signaled support for the app but lacks a clear path to save it under the new law, which is set to take effect just days before his inauguration.
