Highlights
- TikTok is suing the US government over attempts to ban or force a sale, arguing it's unconstitutional.
- TikTok's legal reps say Congress is singling them out, making history with unprecedented actions.
- Past lawsuits and resistance to selling off TikTok may lead to continued operation in the US.
The United States government is being sued by TikTok. This course of action for the popular social media platform comes as the government is attempting to ban TikTok or force it to be sold, but the popular video-sharing app is trying to fight back.
TikTok's legal representatives have stated that Congress is singling out TikTok to get it banned. This is not the first time the government has pursued a TikTok ban. These actions by the government to limit or ban TikTok can be traced back to the Trump administration.
House of Representatives Passes TikTok Ban Bill
The House of Representatives overwhelmingly votes in favor of a bill seeking to either ban TikTok in the US or force its sale to a non-Chinese entity.
As reported by IGN, TikTok has disclosed that it will pursue a lawsuit against the United States government over its actions and its "TikTok ban" bill, which it calls unconstitutional. The legal filing argues that the government’s actions, which seek to force TikTok’s parent company ByteDance to divest or possibly get banned in the US, are not feasible. TikTok’s legal representatives state in the court filing that the steps that Congress has taken to single out the social media platform are unprecedented, also calling TikTok a “vibrant online forum for protected speech and expression” that is used creatively by 170 million Americans. TikTok’s legal actions come as a response to the Protecting Americans from Foreign Adversary Controlled Applications Act. The strength and possible implications of this Act are daunting given that it was given the go-ahead by both chambers of Congress before being signed into law by President Biden.
This Isn't the First Time the US Government Has Tried to Ban TikTok
Past lawsuits against TikTok show not everyone is happy with it. TikTok’s legal filing also points out that this is the first time in history that the government (namely Congress) has pursued a law that seeks to impose a nationwide ban on an online community with over 1 billion members all over the world.
Although the legal actions the government has taken in regards to TikTok could end with it being banned, this could be avoided if the social media platform were sold. However, despite the platform’s growing popularity as it competes against other online giants such as Twitter, Reuters recently revealed that ByteDance owner, Zhang Yiming, has reportedly expressed he would rather end TikTok activity in the US than sell it off.
Since this is not the first time TikTok has been the focus of a possible ban by the US government, it could mean that the social media platform could continue to operate in the country despite legal obstacles well into the future.
