US Judge Halts Trump’s TikTok Ban, Hours Before Start

A federal judge on Sunday blocked President Trump’s TikTok ban, granting a temporary reprieve to the wildly popular video-sharing app, reported the Wall Street Journal.

During a telephone court hearing on Sunday, lawyers for TikTok argued that Trump’s clampdown infringed on free speech and due process rights.

John Hall, an attorney for TikTok, said that the app, with some 100 million American users, is a “modern day version of the town square” and shutting it down is akin to silencing speech.

Judge Carl Nichols of the US District Court for the District of Columbia, responded by halting the ban, which was set to kick in at midnight Sunday.

The action from the White House would have forced TikTok to be removed from smartphone app stores, meaning TikTok could not reach new users, and those who already had it would be deprived of app updates, eventually rendering it nonfunctional.

The specter of a future US government ban also remains. The US Commerce Department plans Nov. 12 to implement a full ban rendering the app unusable for US users if an American deal for TikTok isn’t completed by then.

The courts could also ultimately side with the government and allow the ban to move forward. Judge Nichols, who was nominated by President Trump last year, on Sunday asked both sides to propose a timeline for more detailed arguments. He didn’t immediately explain the ruling to block the ban indefinitely.

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