TikTok Fights Back Against US Ban Threat
TikTok, the popular social media platform, is gearing up to make its case against a law that could potentially see it banned in the United States unless its Chinese owner, ByteDance, sells it within nine months. The law, signed by President Biden in April, aims to address concerns that US users’ data could be exploited by the Chinese government.
TikTok and ByteDance have vehemently denied any ties to the Chinese authorities and have criticized the law as an infringement on free speech rights. With over 170 million American users, TikTok will present its arguments before a three-judge panel at an appeals court in Washington DC.
Joining the company representatives will be eight TikTok creators, including a Texas rancher and a Tennessee baker, who rely on the platform to market their products and earn a living. The Department of Justice (DoJ) will then present its case, citing data concerns and fears of Chinese propaganda spreading through the app.
Advocates of free speech rights have raised concerns that upholding the divest-or-ban law could set a dangerous precedent for authoritarian regimes worldwide. Xiangnong Wang, a staff attorney at Columbia University’s Knight First Amendment Institute, criticized lawmakers for being vague about the specific national security threats posed by TikTok.
Despite the ongoing legal battle, experts predict that the case could drag on for months, potentially reaching the Supreme Court. Mike Proulx, vice president and research director at analysis firm Forrester, described the situation as a “high stakes and very complicated conundrum” that is far from being resolved.
