TikTok’s chief executive, Shou Zi Chew, announced on Wednesday that the company expects to win its legal battle against newly signed US legislation aimed at banning the popular short video app. This legislation, signed into law by President Joe Biden, requires China-based ByteDance to divest TikTok’s U.S. assets within 270 days or face a ban.
“Rest assured – we aren’t going anywhere,” Chew declared in a video posted shortly after Biden signed the bill. “The facts and the Constitution are on our side, and we expect to prevail again.”
The legislation sets a January 19 deadline for the sale, one day before Biden’s current term expires. However, Biden has the option to extend the deadline by three months if ByteDance demonstrates progress. Biden, who is seeking re-election against former President Donald Trump, might extend this deadline.
TikTok insists it has never and would never share US user data with China. Driven by concerns among U.S. lawmakers about potential Chinese access to Americans’ data and surveillance through the app, the bill was overwhelmingly passed by both the U.S. Senate and the House of Representatives.
Chew emphasized, “Make no mistake – this is a ban on TikTok,” but assured that TikTok would continue to operate as they challenge the restrictions.
The ongoing legal struggle over TikTok marks a significant point in the technological tensions between Washington and Beijing. Just last week, Apple announced that China had ordered the removal of Meta Platforms’ WhatsApp and Threads from its App Store over national security concerns.
TikTok plans to challenge the bill on First Amendment grounds, with support expected from its user base. Previously, a U.S. judge in Montana blocked a state ban on TikTok, citing free speech concerns. The American Civil Liberties Union also criticized the legislation, arguing it sets a worrying precedent for government control over social media.
However, experts believe the new legislation provides the Biden administration with a stronger legal basis to enforce the ban if ByteDance fails to divest TikTok. Failure to divest would prevent app stores operated by Apple, Google, and others from offering TikTok, and prohibit web hosting services for TikTok’s website.
The bill also equips the White House with new tools to ban or force the sale of other foreign-owned apps deemed to be security threats. This has raised concerns among some lawmakers about potential abuses of power.
Meanwhile, Biden’s re-election campaign plans to continue using TikTok, while Trump’s campaign has not joined the platform. Biden previously signed legislation in late 2022 banning U.S. government employees from using TikTok on government devices.
Stay informed with the latest updates on this developing story.
