TikTok Files Lawsuit Against US Government to Challenge Ban

TikTok Files Lawsuit Against US Government Over Divestment Order

Popular social media platform TikTok has taken legal action against the United States government in response to a recent law that would compel the company to separate from its Chinese parent company, ByteDance, or face a nationwide ban. The legislation, which cites national security concerns, grants ByteDance a nine-month window to divest TikTok or cease its operations within the US. However, TikTok’s complaint asserts that the government has not provided concrete evidence of the Chinese government misusing the platform.

Lack of Specific Evidence

The lawsuit highlights that despite TikTok’s prominent presence in the United States since its launch in 2017, neither individual Members of Congress nor a congressional committee report have cited specific instances of misuse. Instead, they have only expressed concern about the hypothetical possibility of future misuse.

Even the statements by individual Members of Congress and a congressional committee report merely indicate concern about the hypothetical possibility that TikTok could be misused in the future, without citing specific evidence — even though the platform has operated prominently in the United States since it was first launched in 2017.

Challenges in Implementing a US Ban

TikTok contends that a ban in the United States would be impractical, as it would necessitate the relocation of “millions of lines” of software code from ByteDance to a new owner. Furthermore, the company claims that restrictions imposed by the Chinese government would prevent the sale of TikTok along with its algorithm. TikTok argues that such a ban would isolate the US version of its app, resulting in a “detached experience” for American users and undermining its business model.

Previous Attempts to Ban TikTok

This is not the first time the US government has sought to ban TikTok. In 2020, the Trump administration attempted to prohibit the app, but federal courts blocked the move, deeming it “largely cosmetic.”

TikTok’s Legal Demands

Through this lawsuit, TikTok is requesting the court to declare the Biden administration’s law unconstitutional and issue an order preventing the attorney general from enforcing it.