TikTok's parent company ByteDance sued the federal goverment on Tuesday, May 7, 2024, in response to legislation that aims to force the sale of the social media app. TikTok could face an outright ban in the US otherwise.
© Soobum Im-USA TODAY Sports + © Henrietta Wildsmith/The Times / USA TODAY NETWORK
(Washington, DC) – TikTok has sued the Federal Government in response to legislation that aims to force the company’s sale — or else it could be banned outright in the US. The lawsuit was filed in Washington, DC federal court. It argues the legislation, dubbed the Foreign Adversary Controlled Applications Act, violates First Amendment protections.
Congress passed legislation and President Biden signed it into law, forcing Byte Dance to sell TikTok over the next eight months. The argument is that because Byte Dance is a Chinese company, and TikTok collects sensitive user data, the entire setup is a national security risk. But TikTok says this is the only time a social media platform has been specifically targeted in this fashion.
Earlier reports have suggested TikTok is unlikely to sell its assets, because its algorithm is too important for Byte Dance’s overall business model.
