The US Department of Justice (DoJ) has taken a firm stance against TikTok, demanding a court to dismiss the app’s legal challenge against a law requiring its Chinese parent company, ByteDance, to sell its US assets or face a ban by January 19. The government has emphatically stated that TikTok poses a significant threat to national security, emphasizing the potential for data collection and covert content manipulation by the Chinese government. This stance comes despite TikTok being used by 170 million Americans, with ByteDance, the app, and a group of creators filing lawsuits to prevent the law’s enforcement.
The DoJ’s filing elaborates on the extensive security concerns associated with ByteDance’s ownership. The government contends that China’s long-term strategy involves developing assets strategically, and the US does not need to wait for direct harmful actions to respond to this perceived threat. In addition to the public filing, the government is submitting a classified document to the court further outlining security risks. This document includes declarations from the FBI, the Office of the Director of National Intelligence, and the DoJ’s National Security Division.
The DoJ asserts that TikTok, under Chinese ownership, is a threat due to its access to a vast amount of Americans’ personal data, which China could potentially use to manipulate the information Americans consume through the app. Although TikTok has denied sharing US user data with China, they have not provided immediate comment on this latest development.
President Joe Biden signed the law in April, setting a deadline for ByteDance to sell TikTok by January 19 or face a ban. The White House aims to end Chinese ownership on national security grounds without outright banning the app. The DoJ has rejected TikTok’s arguments that the law violates First Amendment rights, asserting that the law addresses security concerns rather than restricting free speech. Additionally, the government has deemed TikTok’s efforts to protect US user data insufficient.
The US Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia is set to hear oral arguments on the legal challenge on September 16, placing TikTok at the centre of the final weeks of the 2024 presidential election. Republican candidate Donald Trump, who recently joined TikTok, has stated he would not support a ban, while Vice President Kamala Harris, also a presidential candidate, joined TikTok this week.
The law also prevents app stores like Apple and Google’s Alphabet from offering TikTok and bars internet hosting services from supporting it unless ByteDance divests its ownership. This measure, passed overwhelmingly in Congress, reflects the growing concerns among US lawmakers about the potential for China to access or exploit data on American users through the app.
