TikTok on Monday asked the US Supreme Court to temporarily block a federal law requiring its Chinese parent company, ByteDance, to sell the platform or face a ban.

The divest-or-ban law is set to go into effect on January 19 and could see the app banned from one of its biggest markets.

President Joe Biden signed the law in April in a bid to address TikTok’s potential national security risks, including its ties to China.

The US Justice Department said TikTok poses a national security threat because it has sensitive data about US users.

TikTok argues law is unconstitutional

TikTok has argued the new law would infringe on the First Amendment rights of the 170 million American users who use the app.

Earlier this year, the company asked a panel of federal appeal judges to overturn the law. But the appeals court rejected the argument in a ruling earlier this month.

TikTok then said it would appeal the decision to the Supreme Court. 

The platform has denied sharing data with Chinese officials.

Trump says he has a 'warm spot' in his heart for the app

US President-elect Donald Trump tried to ban TikTok during his first term but has since had a change of heart.

Trump said on Monday that TikTok helped him connect with young voters. "I have a warm spot in my heart for TikTok," Trump said at a press conference in Florida.

TikTok CEO Shou Zi Chew also met with Trump in Florida, according to US media outlets. 

ss/rm (AP, AFP, Reuters, dpa)