Maps
Magazine

WORLD NEWS

TikTok and ByteDance Challenge US Ban Law in Federal Court, Citing Unconstitutionality
TikTok and ByteDance file a legal challenge against the US law mandating its sale or face a ban, citing violations of free speech rights.
ND
by News Desk
2024-05-08
TikTok and ByteDance Challenge US Ban Law in Federal Court, Citing Unconstitutionality

TikTok and its parent company ByteDance have filed a lawsuit against the United States challenging a law that would force the popular video-sharing app to be sold or face a ban.

 

The lawsuit, filed in a federal court in Washington, argues that the law signed by President Joe Biden, which gives TikTok 270 days to find a non-Chinese buyer or risk being banned in the country, is unconstitutional. According to TikTok and ByteDance, this law violates the First Amendment by curtailing protected speech and imposing a permanent ban on a single speech platform.

 

The legal challenge highlights the impossibility of complying with the law's divestiture demand within the required timeline, stating that such a requirement is "simply not possible." The lawsuit also emphasizes the significant impact of the ban, potentially silencing millions of users who rely on TikTok as a unique online community for communication.

 

ByteDance has indicated that it has no intentions of selling TikTok, leaving the lawsuit as its only recourse to avoid a ban. The lawsuit asserts that if the law is upheld, TikTok faces shutdown by January 19, 2025, effectively depriving users of a platform for expression that cannot be replicated elsewhere.

 

This legal battle is not the first time TikTok has faced regulatory challenges in the United States. Under the previous administration, former President Donald Trump attempted to ban the app, but his efforts were stalled in the courts amid concerns over free speech rights.

 

The lawsuit is expected to be closely watched and may ultimately be decided by the US Supreme Court, marking a critical moment in the ongoing debate over the regulation of digital platforms and free speech online.

 
Tagged:

freespeech

tiktok

LegalChallenge

ByteDance

Regulation

USLaw
Share News: