In the latest twist of the never-ending saga, the US government is appealing an injunction against its TikTok ban.
The US government has been working to ban TikTok for some time. The Trump administration has accused TikTok of being a security threat, and made it clear that only a sale to an American company would prevent an outright ban. Oracle, with Walmart joining it, emerged as the winning bidder. Per the terms of the deal, however, Oracle would only gain a 20% stake in the company. Meanwhile, China signaled it would oppose a deal it felt was unfavorable to the country’s image.
Meanwhile, TikTok was left in limbo as it tried to work out a deal with the US government as the deadline approached. The company won an injunction, with at least one judge even questioning if the ban was legally viable.
Not willing to give up the fight, the US government is now appealing the injunction, according to Reuters. The Justice Department is bringing the case before the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia.
Given that Judge Carl Nichols — when granting the injunction — said the government had “likely overstepped” in its decision to ban TikTok, this case could redefine the limits of the government’s authority.
