US asks court to reject TikTok’s bid to stave off law that could ban the app
The US Justice Department on Wednesday filed a motion asking a federal appeals court to reject an emergency bid by TikTok to temporarily block a law that could lead to a ban on the popular short-video app. The law in question requires TikTok’s Chinese parent company, ByteDance, to divest the app by January 19th or face a complete ban.
In their motion, the Justice Department argued that “continued Chinese control of the TikTok application poses a continuing threat to national security.” They emphasized that the law’s implementation would not directly prohibit existing TikTok users from accessing the app but would eventually render it unusable due to restrictions on support and updates.
TikTok and ByteDance filed the emergency motion with the US Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia on Monday, warning that the law’s enforcement would “shut down TikTok – one of the nation’s most popular speech platforms – for its more than 170 million domestic monthly users.” They urged the court to intervene and temporarily block the law while they seek a review by the US Supreme Court.
The law in question, passed by Congress earlier this year, grants the US government broad authority to ban foreign-owned apps that pose a national security risk. TikTok has been under scrutiny for several years due to concerns about its data practices and potential ties to the Chinese government.
The Justice Department’s stance reflects the growing tension between the US and China over technology and data security. The US government has repeatedly expressed concerns about the potential for Chinese companies to collect and exploit sensitive data on American citizens.
TikTok has vehemently denied these allegations, insisting that it operates independently from the Chinese government and has taken significant steps to protect user data. The company has also offered to implement additional security measures to address US concerns, including storing US user data on US servers and allowing US companies to monitor its algorithms.
The outcome of this legal battle will have significant implications for TikTok, its users, and the broader tech industry. A ban on TikTok would not only deprive millions of Americans of a popular social media platform but could also set a precedent for future government actions against foreign-owned technology companies.
The US Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia is expected to rule on TikTok’s emergency motion in the coming days. If the court denies the motion, TikTok could face a ban as early as January 19th.