TikTok sued the federal government in response to a bill that could ban the popular video app in the United States.

For Context: Last month, President Joe Biden signed a bill giving TikTok owner ByteDance nine months to divest from the popular social media app. If this does not happen, TikTok would be banned from U.S. app stores. Biden has the option to extend the deadline by another three months if a deal is close. The bill was passed in Congress with bipartisan support as lawmakers from both sides of the aisle expressed fear of the Chinese government’s potential to influence young Americans, who use the app in large numbers. Previous efforts to ban TikTok at the federal and state levels have failed, with judges ruling that a ban would be a violation of the First Amendment.

Key Quote: In the lawsuit filing, the company states, “For the first time in history, Congress has enacted a law that subjects a single, named speech platform to a permanent, nationwide ban, and bars every American from participating in a unique online community with more than one billion people worldwide. There is no question: The act will force a shutdown of TikTok by Jan. 19, 2025, silencing the 170 million Americans who use the platform to communicate in ways that cannot be replicated elsewhere.”

How the Media Covered It: Outlets reported that the lawsuit is expected to delay the deadline for a sale and will most likely reach the Supreme Court.