TikTok CEO Shou Zi Chew is fighting back against a new law that could force the sale of TikTok or see the app banned in the U.S.
Key points:
- TikTok’s CEO proclaimed in a video that the legislation is a ban on the platform and an attack on free expression.
- The company plans to challenge the new law in court.
- TikTok is now asking users to share stories about how the app has impacted their lives.
About the law:
- President Joe Biden signed a law on April 24 requiring TikTok’s Chinese parent company ByteDance to divest from the company within 270 days (with a potential 90-day extension).
- This divestiture aims to sever ties between TikTok and ByteDance, potentially placing the app under U.S. ownership.
- The law restricts ByteDance from controlling TikTok’s algorithm, a key factor in the app’s success.
The details:
- TikTok has long maintained that it does not share user data with the Chinese government and that it stores U.S. user data within the country.
- “Make no mistake, this is a ban, a ban on TikTok and a ban on you and your voice,” Chew said in a TikTok video.
- Chew said the legislation undermines freedom of expression, reflecting the “same American values that make the United States a beacon of freedom.”
- He then went on to highlight TikTok’s positive impact and rallied users to share stories “about how TikTok impacts your life.”
- Chew said the company would fight back in the courts, stating: “The facts and the Constitution are on our side and we expect to prevail again.”
What’s next:
- TikTok is expected to file a lawsuit against the law, citing First Amendment grounds. The app will continue to operate as the company challenges the imposed restrictions until the set Jan. 19 deadline.
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