TikTok and its China-based parent ByteDance sued the US government today to prevent a forced sale or shutdown of the video-sharing giant.
TikTok, ByteDance Sue US Govt For Laws To Force Sale Or Ban
The couple's lawsuit [PDF], filed in federal court in Washington, DC, challenges the constitutionality of HR 7521, the Protecting Americans from Foreign Adversaries Surveillance Act, which was signed into law by President Biden in April.
The law forces ByteDance to either sell TikTok to a suitable owner, approved by Uncle Sam, within 270 days, or cease operations. An extension of 90 days may be granted.
US lawmakers are concerned that the Chinese government, through its ability to pressure ByteDance, could force TikTok to collect sensitive data, compromise the app with a backdoor or push propaganda through sock puppet accounts and its content recommendation algorithm. The app maker has denied any interference from Beijing.
