TikTok Sues US Why, what is happening now

08/05/2024

This is an expected move, but not an ordinary one. TikTok has decided to file a lawsuit against the US government, which wants to enact legislation that would ban the Chinese app from US territory unless the platform is acquired by a national company. This includes Protecting Americans from Foreign Adversaries’ Controlled Uses Act An “unprecedented violation” of the Constitution’s First Amendment, which protects freedom of expression. “For the first time in history,” the company wrote in its 67-page appeal (full document provided here The New York Times), “Congress has enacted a law that subjects a single, identified platform of expression to a permanent, nationwide ban.”

If passed, the bill would “prevent every American from participating in a unique online community of more than a billion users worldwide. There’s no doubt: the law will force TikTok to shut down by January 19, 2025.” Because China is clearly refusing to sell its jewels. “There’s really no other choice,” the company continues in its appeal. Forcing a sale is “simply impossible: not commercially, technologically, or legally possible. “.

Based on the decision by the Biden administration, supported by members of Congress, TikTok will have nine months to clarify its position: it will be sold or it will be shut down. The US president could postpone the date for three months, but the appeal now being presented would require a complete rewrite of the time, which would be significantly extended while waiting for it to be accepted or rejected.

The reason for the law, according to Washington based on Beijing’s orders, is national security, affected by the mechanism by which the site is regulated. In short, China will use TikTok to advance its interests, especially in rival states, including spying overseas.

The story has been going on for some time, during which the Byte Dance app tried to ease the anxiety of Americans. Texas has spent millions of dollars over the past four years aiming to fund the project, which manages the most thorny issues for the American people from the United States (not from China). Technology giant Oracle. This was supposed to be TikTok’s life-saving plan, but the path taken by the government is going in a different direction. “Congress has set aside this tentative agreement in favor of a politically convenient and punitive approach that includes the removal of a media editor and speaker.”

Congress set aside this ill-conceived agreement in favor of a more politically expedient and punitive approach involving the removal of a teacher and a speaker.

One of the issues is what the app offers. According to some, published content can influence public opinion by censoring material. One accusation that TikTok and the Chinese government strongly distance themselves from is that everything happens by rules, with no outside hand interfering.

Since the threats represented by TikTok are real, the ball now (again) goes to the US government to prove its legitimacy. It’s an electoral challenge for President Biden, who wants to get where his opponent is Donald Trump He wanted to, but couldn’t. But it won’t be easy: first because it could boomerang, as younger voters have a TikTok profile (Biden opened one to try to reach them during the election campaign); If it fails immediately, it will be a crushing failure. Perhaps, the Supreme Court should put an end to this betrayal.