The US Justice Department has told an appeals court to throw out TikTok as it poses a national security threat to the United States.
US highest legal authority said that the legal challenges should be resolved to avoid US data being used to manipulate elections.
The development comes amid heated debate in US legislative chambers to either force ByteDance to sell TikTok or face a permanent ban.
App Used For Interference
The Justice Department categorically rejected TikTok’s repeated pleas to reverse a law passed by the Biden administration on grounds of freedom of speech.
Prosecutors wrote that the app gives a foreign government a tool to interfere in the US political system by manipulating elections.
Millions Using App
TikTok leaving the US market could potentially cause significant damage to the US economy as 170 million Americans, especially teens, are already using it.
US lawmakers have been accusing the platform over its alleged ties to the Chinese government which the company denies.