TikTok today took its battle against the Protecting Americans from Foreign Adversary Controlled Applications Act to the U.S. Supreme Court, asking it to block a law that would go into effect on Jan. 19, the day before Inauguration Day.
Launched in the U.S. in 2018, TikTok is used by 170 million American users.
The court filing. TikTok said the law violates the First Amendment:
“The Act will shutter one of America’s most popular speech platforms the day before a presidential inauguration. This, in turn, will silence the speech of Applicants and the many Americans who use the platform to communicate about politics, commerce, arts, and other matters of public concern.”
Read the full filing here.
Why we care. TikTok has become a marketing channel of significance for a wide range of brands. It’s also a huge marketplace for the influencers whose self-generated content can have a greater impact than many of the most sophisticated brand campaigns.