TikTok and ByteDance File Lawsuit to Halt US Law Aimed at App Sale or Ban
TikTok and its parent company ByteDance have taken legal action against the U.S. government, filing a lawsuit in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit. The lawsuit seeks to block a law signed by President Joe Biden that mandates the divestiture of TikTok or imposes a ban on the popular short video app.
The companies argue that the law, signed by President Biden on April 24, violates the U.S. Constitution, particularly First Amendment free speech protections. They assert that the law would effectively subject TikTok to a permanent nationwide ban, unprecedented in U.S. history.
According to the lawsuit, ByteDance contends that divesting TikTok is not commercially and legally feasible. They claim that the law would force a shutdown of TikTok by January 19, 2025, affecting the platform’s 170 million American users.
The White House has expressed concerns about Chinese-based ownership of TikTok on national security grounds but has not advocated for a complete ban. However, the law signed by President Biden gives ByteDance until January 19 to sell TikTok or face a ban.
The lawsuit is the latest development in TikTok’s efforts to resist attempts to shut it down in the United States. The company argues that data security and espionage concerns are speculative and unfounded. TikTok has invested billions of dollars in measures to protect the data of U.S. users and has made commitments to address national security concerns.
The legal battle over TikTok reflects broader tensions between the United States and China in the realm of the internet and technology. The outcome of the lawsuit could have significant implications for the future of TikTok and the broader landscape of digital regulation and security.
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