TikTok Takes to U.S. Courts to Have Nationwide Ban Scrapped
TikTok’s parent company sued the U.S. government on Tuesday, alleging it violated Americans’ First Amendment rights by forcing it to either sell the social media company or have it outright banned in the states.
ByteDance, TikTok’s owner, had hinted that a lawsuit was imminent for weeks after lawmakers—on both sides of the aisle—combined to pass legislation to crackdown on TikTok last month, with President Joe Biden signing it into law on April 24.
The legislation requires ByteDance to sell off TikTok, which is estimated to be worth tens of billions, to a non-Chinese buyer. If it fails to do so, U.S. app stores and web hosting services will be required to stop hosting it, amounting to a ban. ByteDance has until by Jan. 15, 2025—or until April 24, 2025, if the White House grants an extension—to sell.