Federal Judge Blocks November TikTok Ban Over Creator Rights
A federal judge halts the impending November 12 TikTok ban after three popular creators argue the restrictions destroy their livelihoods. The court rules the government fails to prove hypothetical national security risks outweigh public interest.
A federal judge in Pennsylvania issues an injunction that blocks the Trump administration's planned November 12 ban on TikTok. This specific lawsuit is brought not by TikTok itself, but by three popular creators who collectively boast millions of followers on the video-sharing app.
The creators successfully argue that a ban causes them irreparable harm by cutting off access to their audiences and eliminating brand sponsorships that provide their income. The judge sides with the creators, noting that the government relies on hypothetical national security threats that fail to outweigh the public interest and the expressive activity of over 100 million American users.
This marks the second time a U.S. court intervenes to stop the administration's restrictions on the Chinese-owned app. While a previous ruling prevented the removal of TikTok from U.S. app stores, this new injunction specifically prevents the government from blocking the internet hosting services that keep the platform operational.