TikTok and its parent company, ByteDance, have taken legal action against the US government. They filed a lawsuit in federal court to challenge a law signed by President Joe Biden. This law would either require TikTok to be sold or banned in the US, affecting its 170 million American users.
The lawsuit argues that the law violates the US Constitution, specifically the First Amendment's protection of free speech. It gives ByteDance until January 19 to sell TikTok or face a ban. According to the companies, complying with the law is not feasible due to commercial, technological, and legal reasons. They assert that the law would force TikTok to shut down by January 19, 2025, impacting millions of users.
The White House aims to end Chinese ownership of TikTok due to national security concerns but has not openly supported a ban. The lawsuit is TikTok's latest attempt to resist efforts to shut it down in the US.
The law was overwhelmingly passed in Congress amid concerns that China could access or spy on American data through the app. TikTok denies these allegations and accuses lawmakers of raising speculative concerns.
Representative Raja Krishnamoorthi, a leading Democrat on a House committee on China, supports the law as a means to address national security threats posed by ByteDance's ownership of TikTok.
The law prohibits app stores like Apple and Google from offering TikTok and bars internet hosting services from supporting it unless ByteDance divests TikTok by January 19.
The lawsuit argues that the Chinese government opposes the divestment of TikTok's recommendation engine, which is crucial to its success in the US. The companies seek to block the US Attorney General from enforcing the law.
Despite efforts to address concerns about user data, TikTok continues to face challenges in the US-China technology conflict. Courts blocked former President Trump's attempts to ban TikTok, and Biden has extended the deadline for TikTok's sale.
Experts question the feasibility of a TikTok sale and the approval process by both China and US government agencies. Moving TikTok's source code to the US, if required, could take years, according to the lawsuit.
Key Points
TikTok Fights Back:Â TikTok and its parent company, ByteDance, are taking legal action against the US government due to a law signed by President Biden. This law aims to either sell TikTok or ban it.
Legal Clash:Â TikTok argues that this law violates the free speech rights outlined in the US Constitution. They claim it's practically impossible to comply with and would lead to TikTok's shutdown, impacting millions of users.
Security Concerns:Â The law stems from concerns about China potentially misusing data from TikTok. While the White House wants to address security risks by ending Chinese ownership, TikTok denies these allegations.
FAQs
Q1. Why is TikTok suing the US government?
TikTok is suing the US government because they disagree with a law signed by President Biden. This law wants TikTok to be sold or banned in the US.
Q2. What does TikTok say is wrong with the law?
TikTok believes that this law violates the US Constitution's right to free speech. They also argue that it's not possible to follow the law without shutting down TikTok, which would affect millions of users.
Q3. Why does the US government want to end Chinese ownership of TikTok?
The US government is concerned about national security risks related to Chinese ownership of TikTok. They worry that China could access or spy on American data through the app.
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