A recent bill passed by Congress could prohibit the popular video-sharing app TikTok from operating in the United States. However, a legal expert believes TikTok is likely to challenge the law in court, arguing that it violates its First Amendment rights.
US President Joe Biden has signed a bill compelling TikTok’s parent company, ByteDance, to sell or ban the popular social media app within nine months. The move comes amid concerns that TikTok poses a national security threat due to its Chinese ownership and access to US user data. ByteDance has refuted these claims and vowed to challenge the law in court. If TikTok is sold or banned, users will have time to adjust, but a VPN or parental controls may be necessary for continued usage or data protection.
The clock is ticking for TikTok as it faces a potential ban in the United States. Legislation requiring TikTok’s Chinese owners to divest sailed through Congress, igniting a 270-day countdown for a sale or US prohibition. TikTok and ByteDance, its parent company, are determined to fight the measure, claiming it infringes the free speech rights of the app’s 170 million monthly US users and poses no national security risks. The legal battle promises to be fierce, with First Amendment concerns raised as a potential hurdle. TikTok’s fate now hangs in the balance, with users, businesses, and content creators anxiously awaiting the outcome.
The newly signed foreign aid package bill in the U.S. has put TikTok’s future in jeopardy. ByteDance, the Chinese company that owns TikTok, faces the prospect of having to sell or face a ban within nine months. However, the company has multiple options to consider, including legal challenges, delaying tactics, divesting from TikTok, or accepting a ban. The outcome of the legal battle, the political climate, and the availability of potential buyers will all play a role in determining TikTok’s fate in the U.S.
TikTok CEO Shou Zi Chew has vowed to challenge in court a bipartisan bill signed into law by President Biden, which forces ByteDance, TikTok’s Beijing-based parent company, to divest the popular video-sharing app’s US assets within 270 days or face a ban. TikTok, with 170 million US users, has denied Chinese government control and plans to pursue legal action on First Amendment grounds. Despite concerns among US lawmakers over China’s potential access to American data through the app, TikTok maintains that it has invested billions in data protection and platform integrity. Legal experts believe the new legislation strengthens the Biden administration’s legal standing to ban TikTok if ByteDance fails to divest, but a judge in Montana has previously blocked a state ban on free-speech grounds. The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) has expressed concerns about the bill’s potential for abuse by future administrations, while some experts emphasize TikTok’s potential risks due to its vast user base and susceptibility to exploitation by foreign actors.
TikTok CEO Shou Zi Chew has vowed to fight a recently signed US law that effectively bans the social media company. Chew said that the law is unconstitutional, and that the company will challenge it in court. The ban is the latest in a series of escalating tech conflicts between Washington and Beijing.
The Commonwealth Court of Pennsylvania has reinstated an appeal by the Italian Sons and Daughters of America against the removal of a Christopher Columbus statue from Pittsburgh’s Schenley Park. The court ruled that a lower court erred in dismissing the group’s claims, which include violations of the city charter, code, and ordinance. The statue, which has been vandalized several times, was wrapped in plastic in 2020 and had recently become partially exposed. Disputes over Columbus statues have also occurred in Philadelphia, Richmond, Columbia, Wilmington, Camden, and Boston.
Despite its popularity as a social media platform, TikTok’s future in the United States remains uncertain. The House of Representatives has passed a bill that requires TikTok’s parent company, ByteDance, to sell the app or face a ban. While the app has been granted an extended deadline to sever ties with ByteDance, the ban could still go into effect. The decision has sparked a debate, with the government citing security concerns and some lawmakers arguing it violates First Amendment rights.
President Biden has signed legislation that bans TikTok in the United States unless it is sold to an American company. TikTok’s CEO, Shou Zi Chew, has responded by saying that the company will fight the ban in court, arguing that it violates the First Amendment. Chew claims that Congress is trying to suppress TikTok because it is a Chinese-owned company and that the ban is against the will of the American people.
The U.S. Senate passed the “Protecting Americans from Foreign Adversary Controlled Applications Act” on Tuesday evening, which gives the White House authority to ban apps it deems a national security threat. The bill, which would force TikTok to sell its U.S. operations or face a ban, was attached to a broader foreign aid package and is expected to be signed into law by President Biden. TikTok has vowed to fight the ban in court, arguing that it violates the First Amendment rights of its American users.
