TikTok plans to file a lawsuit against President Donald Trump’s executive order that prohibits transactions with the popular short video app and its Chinese parent, ByteDance.

The company says it has tried to engage with the US administration for nearly a year but faced “a lack of due process” and alleges the government has paid no attention to the facts.

“To ensure that the rule of law is not discarded and that our company and users are treated fairly, we have no choice but to challenge the executive order through the judicial system,” the company spokesperson said on Saturday.

Trump issued an executive order on August 14 that gave ByteDance 90 days to divest the US operations of TikTok. ByteDance has been making progress in talks with potential acquirers, including Microsoft Corp and Oracle.

Some of ByteDance’s US investors could also join the winning bid.

While TikTok is best known for its anodyne videos of people dancing and going viral among teenagers, US officials have expressed concerns that information on users could be passed on to China’s government.

-AAP