Lily Jamali
North America Technology Correspondent, reporting from the hearing

Tyler Jacobs, a 20-year-old Congressional intern, says he does not use Tik Tok.

"I used to be on it for a long time, and I decided to get off all social media a short time ago," he says, mostly to reduce distractions and to limit the mental health impacts associated with increased screen time.

Jacob, who is in line with many others his age outside the Supreme Court ahead of Friday's hearing, says he believes TikTok should be banned for national security reasons.

But he says he understands both sides of the arguments being presented today, and that some do rely on the platform for their livelihoods.

"We grew up in a digital age with social media," Jacobs says of his generation. "It'll be interesting to see the reaction among youth on how this all turns out."

Today’s hearing on TikTok's appeal against a potential US ban has just begun in the Supreme Court.

We’re expecting it to last for roughly two hours, and we’ll hear from lawyers on behalf of TikTok, the US government, and content creators.

We’re following along and will bring you the key lines here, and you can listen in to the Supreme Court with us by pressing watch live at the top of the page.

Liv McMahon
Technology reporter

Image source, Reuters

There's a huge amount at stake for TikTok and ByteDance when it comes to the video-sharing app's looming ban.

But it has also caused concern among US content creators – many of whom rely on the app to make a living.

Some even joined TikTok and ByteDance in suing over the US sale-or-ban law – reiterating the companies' argument that banning the platform would censor its 170m users.

Analysts and experts say it would have a huge impact on US creators, and strengthen the dominance of social media rivals such as Instagram and YouTube - to which many creators would inevitably flock.

Brooke Erin Duffy, associate professor of communication at Cornell University, told the BBC it would be a "devastating blow in an already precarious career sector".

She says while many TikTok creators have tried to diversify and build up followings across other platforms – amid frequent changes to policies, ad revenue splits and algorithms – there's no guarantee of replicating the success or community they may have had on TikTok on rival platforms.

"If ban is upheld, many TikTok creators will lose their videos, which may not be archived or downloaded properly," adds, external Professor Anupam Chander of Georgetown University, in a series of posts on X.

Liv McMahon
Technology reporter

This last ditch legal bid by TikTok and Chinese owners ByteDance is scheduled to begin shortly.

Two hours have been allotted for oral arguments from representatives for TikTok and ByteDance, and content creators who are also fighting the ban, as well the US government, who will argue it should be upheld.

Noel J Francisco – a former US solicitor general during President-elect Donald Trump’s first term – will have 30 minutes to make the case for TikTok and ByteDance when the hearing starts.

He will be followed by Stanford Law professor Jeffrey L Fisher, representing TikTok creators who joined the company in suing the US over its law.

Prof Fisher will have 30 minutes to articulate creators’ concerns over the impact of the app's US ban on their livelihoods and free expression.

Elizabeth B Prelogar, the current US solicitor general representing the Department of Justice, will have an hour to respond to the petitioners and defend the Biden and Congress-backed law.

It is not known how long the Supreme Court will take to rule. But what is clear is time is short: TikTok will be banned in just nine days' time unless the justices intervene.

Young Americans reflect on how they would feel about a potential Tik Tok ban in the US. "I already deleted Tik Tok two summers ago," one says. "I have (Instagram) reels," says another. "So I think I'll be fine."

Others worry about the impact it would have on small content creators, who rely on Tik Tok for revenue.

Lily Jamali
North America Technology Correspondent, reporting from the hearing

There is a line of at least a hundred people braving the DC cold this morning, waiting to get into the Supreme Court for today's oral arguments in the TikTok hearing.

Some are avid users, and say they have been hearing about this hearing on the platform.

Student Danielle Ballesteros has been waiting here since 6:30am.

"I feel like TikTok doesn't deserve to be banned." She admits she uses it "probably too much" but thinks it's an important news source for people from her generation.

Tom Singleton
Technology reporter

TikTok is a social media platform on which people can make and share short videos – and watch those made by others.

That’s hardly revolutionary, as there many other apps that allow users to do something similar.

The "secret sauce" of TikTok’s success though lies in its For You page, and the algorithm that powers it.

It has proven itself far better at scouring the endless content being created around the world and serving up the videos that really capture people's attention, regardless of who made it.

The ability of the platform to recommend content highly tailored to users' interests has helped it to stand out in the social media landscape.

But it’s also a powerful incentive for creators too, who believe that - unlike on some other platforms - it’s the best videos rather than the biggest accounts which are prioritised.

Put all that together and TikTok is big business - not just for Chinese owners Bytedance but for the many people, influencers and businesses who use it to make money.

Image source, Reuters

Despite the impending ban, TikTok has repeatedly denied any potential influence by the Chinese Communist Party.

The app's owners ByteDance also argues that the law violates the First Amendment free speech rights of its users.

This is laid down in the US constitution as the right to express opinions and receive information without government interference.

If the law is not struck down completely, ByteDance has asked the Court to halt the enforcement of the law to enable a review of the legislation, which it says is based on "inaccurate, flawed and hypothetical information".

Some groups in the US have also supported TikTok's challenge on free speech grounds.

The American Civil Liberties Union and Freedom of the Press Foundation argues that the US has failed to represent "credible evidence of ongoing or imminent harm" caused by the app.

Image source, Reuters

Donald Trump filed a brief to the Supreme Court in late December asking the justices to pause a ban on TikTok set to take effect on 19 January, the day before his inauguration.

The president-elect called TikTok - an app he had previously sought to ban - a "unique medium for freedom of expression".

"President Trump alone possesses the consummate dealmaking expertise, the electoral mandate, and the political will to negotiate a resolution to save the platform," the brief said, "while addressing the national security concerns expressed by the government".

Trump’s attempts to prevent the TikTok ban from taking effect is a reversal from his previous position, having issued an executive order directing ByteDance to divest its US interests or face sanctions during his first administration.

Image source, Reuters

The US Congress passed a law in April that requires TikTok to either discontinue its use in the US or be sold from its China-based parent company, ByteDance, to a non-Chinese company.

Supporters of the law say TikTok, which claims over 170 millions users in the US, poses a national security risk, and allege that ByteDance is controlled by China.

Concerns include China harvesting Americans’ private data and the spread of propaganda and disinformation.

TikTok, ByteDance and TikTok users argue that the law is a violation of America’s constitutionally-backed free speech rights.

In a briefing filed to the Supreme Court, TikTok said “the government has banned an extraordinary amount of speech”, adding that barring Americans "from operating one of the nation’s most significant speech venues is profoundly unconstitutional".

The justices are likely to decide quickly. The 19 January deadline for the ban to take effect is rapidly approaching.

Hello and welcome to our live coverage, with the US Supreme Court about to hear an appeal by TikTok against a law that will ban the popular social platform by the 19 January – that is unless its Chinese parent company sells it to an American company.

That date is one day before President-elect Donald Trump assumes office once again, and he has weighed in on the dispute asking for the law to be paused to give him time to work out a deal.

The US government has alleged that TikTok allows the Chinese government to spy on its users. TikTok rejects that claim, and argues that it has been unfairly targeted. It also says the law violates the free speech of its 170 million US users.

Stick with us as we bring you the latest from court.