TikTok asks judge to block President Trump's ban on the app

TikTok says the ban means hundreds of Americans will be shut out from downloading the app.

What you need to know

• TikTok is seeking an injunction to prevent President Donald Trump from banning the app.
• It has filed a legal challenge to the ban which will prevent users from downloading the app.
• The ban is due to take effect this Sunday, September 27.

TikTok has filed a legal challenge against a ban on the app proposed by President Donald Trump which could see the app removed from app stores on Sunday, September 27.

As reported by TechCrunch Wednesday:

Earlier today, the company filed a motion to stop the Commerce Department from enforcing a ban against the popular social app. That ban was supposed to come into place on Sunday, but after the signing of the ByteDance/Oracle deal, it was delayed by a week, with additional delays expected as the deal closes in the coming weeks.

A lawsuit against President Trump and his administration was originally filed by TikTok on September 18, and parties have now filed for an injunction to stop the proposed ban by President Trump and the Department of Commerce.

A ban on downloads of the app was due to take place earlier this week, however, was stayed one week over reports the President had approved a deal between ByteDance and Oracle to sell the U.S. portion of TikTok.

In the filing, TikTok noted that it had made "extraordinary efforts to try to satisfy the government's ever-shifting demands and purported national security concerns, including through changes in the ownership and structure of [its] business, and [we] are continuing to do so."

The company further stated a ban would massively damage the company, precluding hundreds of millions of Americans from downloading the app. If further claims Trump and the Department of Commerce have exceeded their authority under existing legislation.

A similar ban targeting WeChat was recently blocked by a U.S. District court.