EAST PROVIDENCE, R.I. (WPRI) — There are about 170 million TikTok users in the United States but the fate of the social media app is questionable. Two weeks ago, a U.S. appeals court upheld a law that would ban TikTok starting Jan. 19 unless the China-based parent company agrees to sell it. Just this week, the Supreme Court agreed to hear arguments by TikTok in January about whether the law restricts speech in violation of the First Amendment. Congressman Jim Langevin said the app poses a security threat to Americans in terms of data collection. "It could be very valuable to, say, the intelligence community in China to collect that data if they ever needed it or wanted to access it," he explained. "We have a different system of government and a different economy than China." BACKGROUND: Federal appeals court upholds law requiring sale or ban of TikTok in the US Rhode Islander Ian Brownhill is one of the many content creators whose full-time job has become TikTok. Now he is raising concerns about losing his main source of income. "I feel like there's not enough information that I'm receiving as a content creator, as someone who utilizes the platform to fully understand exactly why they feel that there is a threat to the American people," he said. "There's also that part of me that understands that if there is a real threat coming from having our data out there and they could show it to us, I would be on board," he continued. TikTok has long denied it shares user data with China and has refused to sell the app. President-elect Donald Trump has grown increasingly sympathetic to TikTok’s causes. He campaigned on a promise to “save” the app but has yet to offer a solution. The Supreme Court will hear arguments from content creators and TikTok on Jan. 10. Close Thanks for signing up! Watch for us in your inbox. Subscribe Now Daily Roundup SIGN UP NOW