The law, signed by President Joe Biden in April, requires ByteDance to divest TikTok's US assets by January 19 next year or face a ban on the app, which has up to 170 million American users. ByteDance has argued that divestment is "technologically, commercially, or legally impossible."
Photo: REUTERS/Dado Ruvic
The U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit will hold hearings on lawsuits filed by TikTok and ByteDance, along with TikTok users, on September 16. TikTok’s future in the U.S. may depend on the outcome of this case, which could influence how the U.S. government uses its new powers to rein in foreign-owned apps.
“This law is a fundamental shift from this country’s tradition of supporting an open internet, and sets a dangerous precedent that allows political parties to target an unpopular speech platform and force it to sell or be shut down,” ByteDance and TikTok argued, asking the court to strike down the law.
Spurred by concerns from US lawmakers that China could access Americans' data or spy on them through the app, the measure was overwhelmingly passed by the US Congress just weeks after it was introduced.
Lawyers for a group of TikTok users sued to block the app from being banned, arguing that the law would violate free speech.
Furthermore, they argue that the bill unfairly targets TikTok by “ignoring many apps with significant operations in China that collect large amounts of US user data, as well as many US companies that develop software and hire engineers in China.”
The US Justice Department said last month the law “addresses significant national security concerns in a manner consistent with the First Amendment and other constitutional limitations”.
The White House has said it wants to end Chinese ownership on national security grounds, but does not want to ban TikTok.
The bill bans app stores like Apple's and Alphabet's Google from offering TikTok. It also bans internet hosting services from supporting TikTok unless ByteDance divests.
Hong Hanh (according to Reuters)
Source: https://www.congluan.vn/tiktok-noi-lenh-cam-o-my-la-kho-co-the-tranh-khoi-post300181.html
Comment (0)