As TikTok and its parent company ByteDance engage in a legal battle against the United States government over a law that would force the sale of the popular app or implement a nationwide ban bipartisan opposition has emerged citing First Amendment concerns. The lawsuit filed in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit argues that the law violates the U.S. Constitution including the right to free speech.
TikTok is slapping the U.S. government with a lawsuit, as its Chinese owner battles to keep its control of the app and access to its 170 million American users. pic.twitter.com/GxkThlpkIM
— China in Focus – NTD (@ChinaInFocusNTD) May 8, 2024
Both Democrats and Republicans leftists and conservatives have made their voices heard in resisting the TikTok ban on First Amendment grounds. Various politicians have also expressed concerns about the ban with Representative Thomas Massie (R-KY) suggesting that it is ultimately a Democrat plot for control of the internet that Republicans are assisting with.
The bipartisan nature of the opposition to the ban contrasts with the bipartisan support the law received in Congress. This has led to a contentious issue with no clear political divide a situation that is likely to persist as the lawsuit moves forward.
TikTok filed a lawsuit against the Justice Department on Tuesday over a law that requires the platform to cut ties with its China-based owner within a year or be effectively banned from the U.S. pic.twitter.com/wbYUZc9pGZ
— CBS Evening News (@CBSEveningNews) May 7, 2024
Experts have differing opinions on the potential outcome of the case. While some believe TikTok has a strong argument based on the First Amendment others acknowledge potential complications due to the bipartisan nature of the law and the cited national security concerns. The White House has expressed its desire to see Chinese-based ownership of TikTok ended but has not advocated for a complete ban on the app.
