TikTok and its corporate parent, ByteDance, have filed a lawsuit in federal court in an attempt to block a U.S. law that requires the social media platform to be sold to a company without ties to the Chinese Communist Party. President Biden signed a bipartisan bill mandating ByteDance to sell TikTok to an appropriate company by January 19, 2025. The lawsuit argues that such a divestiture is not feasible due to the Chinese government's own demands related to TikTok.
ByteDance argues that divesting the recommendation engine, which is crucial to TikTok's success in the U.S., is not permitted by the Chinese government. The company claims that the forced sale of TikTok would result in a shutdown of the platform, affecting the 170 million Americans who use it for communication.
TikTok CEO Shou Zi Chew has expressed confidence in the legal battle, stating that the facts and the Constitution are on their side. President Biden's administration has clarified that the legislation is not intended to ban TikTok, but rather to end its involvement with the CCP.
Former President Trump's previous attempts to ban TikTok and WeChat were blocked by the courts in 2020. Trump has since accused Biden of pushing for a ban on TikTok and has urged voters to take notice. However, Chew has emphasized that TikTok will continue to operate as the company challenges the restrictions.
The legislation allows for Biden to extend the January 19 deadline by three months if necessary. The outcome of the legal battle between TikTok, ByteDance, and the U.S. government remains uncertain as the case unfolds in federal court.