May 8th 2024.
In a recent turn of events, the popular online video platform TikTok and its Chinese parent company ByteDance have taken legal action against the US government. This comes as a response to a new law that requires ByteDance to sell TikTok or face a complete ban in the country. The bill, signed by President Joe Biden, was passed by both houses of Congress last month.
In their petition filed on Tuesday, TikTok expressed their concerns about the law, stating that it is a direct attack on the freedom of speech and expression. The platform, which boasts a whopping 170 million American users, is a hub for creativity and self-expression through videos shared over the internet. TikTok argues that this is the first time in history that a single platform has been targeted and banned nationwide, depriving over a billion people worldwide of participating in its unique online community.
The petition also points out that the law, known as the Protecting Americans From Foreign Adversary Controlled Applications Act, is unconstitutional. According to Xinhua news agency, TikTok believes that the ban is so blatantly unconstitutional that even its sponsors have tried to downplay it as a mere regulation of ownership. However, TikTok argues that this is not the case and that the law effectively forces ByteDance to sell TikTok to a non-Chinese buyer within 270 days, with a possible 90-day extension if deemed necessary by the US President.
TikTok further explains that this "qualified divestiture" demanded by the law is simply not feasible. It is not commercially viable, technologically possible, or even legally feasible. In other words, there is no real choice for ByteDance in this matter. The law effectively forces them to sell TikTok, and there is no way around it.
This legal challenge by TikTok and ByteDance has sparked a heated debate about the government's power to regulate online platforms and its impact on freedom of speech. Many are closely following the developments, eagerly awaiting the court's decision on this matter. Only time will tell how this situation will unfold and what the future holds for TikTok and its millions of American users.
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