The United States Supreme Court heard arguments Friday regarding a law that could ban or force the sale of TikTok in the US by January 19, citing national security concerns over ByteDance, TikTok’s China-based parent company.

Justices examined potential risks of data misuse or foreign influence, with Chief Justice John Roberts questioning ByteDance’s ability to resist Chinese government demands.

TikTok and ByteDance challenged the law, arguing it infringes on free speech and could halt operations for its 170 million US users.

Justice Elena Kagan highlighted tensions between national security and free speech, referencing Cold War-era restrictions, while Solicitor General Elizabeth Prelogar defended the law as necessary to prevent foreign data manipulation.

As the January 19 deadline nears, the Court may issue a temporary stay, but without resolution, TikTok could face a ban in the US.