Legal Battle Looming Over National Security Concerns
TikTok and its parent company ByteDance are taking a stand against the U.S. government. A lawsuit filed on Tuesday marks the beginning of what could be a lengthy legal battle concerning the social media platform’s future within the United States.
Lawsuit Claims Unconstitutional Ban Disguised as Regulation
The lawsuit targets a recently passed law, signed by President Biden, that restricts TikTok’s operation in the U.S. This legislation, known as the “Protecting Americans From Foreign Adversary Controlled Applications Act,” mandates the sale of TikTok by ByteDance within nine months.
TikTok argues that this law is an unconstitutional attempt to force a sale rather than a legitimate regulatory action. They claim the government’s true intention is to ban TikTok entirely, despite attempts to frame it as ownership regulation.
Time Constraints and Uncertain Sale Prospects
The law offers a limited window for ByteDance to comply. If a sale is not already underway, the company has just nine months to divest ownership of the platform. An additional three months are granted if a sale is already in progress. However, ByteDance has publicly stated they have “no plans to sell TikTok.”
Even if ByteDance were willing to sell, the deal would require approval from the Chinese government. Beijing previously opposed a forced sale of TikTok and has indicated similar resistance this time around.
Security Concerns Fuel Legislation
U.S. officials, including lawmakers from both parties, have expressed anxieties surrounding potential data security breaches and content manipulation by Chinese authorities. Their concerns center on the possibility that ByteDance could be compelled to share user data with the Chinese government or influence American public opinion by manipulating the platform’s algorithms.
