TikTok and its China-based parent ByteDance are appealing a lower court’s ruling that upholds the law, which is set to take effect on January 19|Solen Feyissa|CC BY-SA 2.0

TikTok asked the Supreme Court on Monday to delay a national security law that could ban the app nationwide next month. It has over 170 million US users.

The app and its China-based parent, ByteDance, are appealing a lower court’s ruling that upholds the law, which is set to take effect on January 19. Signed by President Joe Biden in April, it requires social media to be sold to non-Chinese owners or to face a ban. 

The law has strong bipartisan support due to its national security concerns.

TikTok lawyers argue that delaying the ban would allow time for an orderly review and give the Trump administration a chance to evaluate the situation. The company CEO, Shou Zi Chew, is reportedly set to meet the president-elect.