In response to the Tiktok Act, which was passed by the US Congress in April and signed into law by President Joe Biden, Bytedance and its video service Tiktok have filed a lawsuit against the US government. The companies are challenging a law that would ban the app in the United States if Bytedance does not sell its operations in the country.
The lawsuit claims that the law violates the US Constitution’s protection of freedom of speech and imposes a permanent nationwide ban on one platform, which has never been done before. Bytedance and Tiktok argue that selling their US operations is not technologically or legally possible, and that shutting down the app will silence 170 million Americans who use it for communication.
The companies also claim that if they are unable to find a buyer for Tiktok’s US operations within the deadline set by the law, they will be forced to close their operations by January 19, 2025. While national security concerns about Tiktok have been raised in the US, administration officials have stated that their goal is to remove Chinese ownership of the app, not ban it entirely.
Bytedance and Tiktok have requested an appeals court ruling barring the enforcement of this law. If their request is denied, this legal dispute could escalate all the way to the US Supreme Court. The ongoing legal battle between these companies and government officials may require public presentation of classified documents to justify Tiktok’s threat to national security.
In summary, Bytedance and its popular video service Tiktok have filed a lawsuit against the US government seeking to block a law that would ban them from operating in America if they do not sell their operations in country. The companies argue that selling their operations is impossible due to technical constraints and legal restrictions imposed by American laws while also arguing that such actions will harm free speech rights protected under First Amendment.
Furthermore, while there are concerns about national security risks posed by TikTok, administration officials have stated that their goal is solely to remove Chinese ownership of it while banning it entirely is not part of their plan.
This ongoing legal battle between Bytedance/TikTok and American government officials may escalate all way up to Supreme Court as both parties present different arguments backed by classified information related to national security concerns.
