Tiktok and byte
On Thursday, a U.S. House committee released a transcript of a March closed-door meeting on TikTok’s threats to the Justice Department in its defense of a statute that attempts to force its Chinese owner to sell its U.S. assets.
China-based ByteDance, TikTok, and a group of creators have sued to prevent President Joe Biden’s April rule that may ban the app used by 170 million Americans if it doesn’t divest by Jan. 19, 2025.
According to committee chair Representative Cathy McMorris Rodgers, the Justice Department requested that the Energy and Commerce Committee review the secret hearing transcript “to assist in their litigation.”
A committee spokesperson said legislators won’t release the transcript. Justice Department officials declined comment.
Rodgers said China has made it plain it won’t give up control over apps like TikTok since the law passed. She added this shows China “is using these apps to harm Americans.”
Before declining comment, TikTok noted “the process for this legislation was intentionally conducted in secret and rushed through because the bill’s authors knew it was the only way they could push it forward.”
On Thursday, EU antirust officials said so.
Sept. 16 is the legal challenge oral argument day in a U.S. court. The Justice Department will answer lawsuits by July 26.
According to a Reuters document from the March secret session, the Justice Department claimed it would be stronger legally if Congress required ByteDance to divest TikTok.
Trump tried to ban TikTok in late 2020, but the courts blocked him.
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