TikTok to Challenge US Ban Law in Appeals Court

Business News :TikTok to Challenge US Ban Law in Appeals Court

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TikTok is set to challenge a law that mandates its sale or ban in the US, a measure signed by President Biden in April. This law was introduced due to concerns that US user data could be exploited by the Chinese government through TikTok’s parent company, ByteDance. Both TikTok and ByteDance have denied any ties to the Chinese authorities, labeling the law an “extraordinary intrusion on free speech.”

The company will present its case before a three-judge panel in Washington DC on Monday. TikTok argues that the law infringes on free speech rights. James Lewis of the Center for Strategic and International Studies believes the law was crafted to withstand judicial challenges, noting that the court’s decision will hinge on whether requiring divestiture is considered a regulation of speech.

Experts predict that the legal battle could be lengthy, potentially reaching the Supreme Court. Mike Proulx from Forrester emphasizes that the case is complex and high-stakes, likely to be protracted.

TikTok will be supported by eight creators who rely on the platform for their businesses. The Department of Justice (DoJ) will argue that TikTok poses data security risks and could be used by China for propaganda purposes. However, advocates for free speech worry that upholding the law might set a dangerous precedent for restricting information access globally.

Xiangnong Wang from Columbia University’s Knight First Amendment Institute has criticized the law for its vague national security justifications and warned that such restrictions could be used by authoritarian regimes to limit free expression.

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