ByteDance Sues US over TikTok Ban: Legal Battle Highlights Ongoing National Security Concerns

On Tuesday, ByteDance, the parent company of TikTok, filed a lawsuit against the United States in response to the country’s efforts to ban the platform. The Chinese-based company argued that the ban was unconstitutional and stated that selling TikTok was not possible, warning that it would lead to closure before January 19, 2025.

In its legal filing, TikTok argued that Congress had enacted a law for the first time in history that would permanently ban a single named speech platform and prohibit all Americans from participating in a global online community with millions of users worldwide. This lawsuit comes after President Joe Biden signed a law requiring ByteDance to sell TikTok to American companies in order to avoid the ban.

The ban on TikTok is due to security concerns about the platform’s data collection practices and the potential for misuse of information for the benefit of the Chinese government. TikTok has denied these accusations multiple times, stating that they are hypothetical without specific evidence supporting them.

ByteDance explained in its lawsuit that selling TikTok to American companies is not feasible because it would require transferring millions of lines of code to the new owner, and China would not allow it. The company argued that this action would create a separate experience for US users compared to those around the world, effectively isolating TikTok’s US version from its international community.

TikTok is seeking a court ruling that President Biden violated the United States Constitution with his decision to ban it on national security grounds. The legal battle highlights ongoing tensions between ByteDance and US authorities over national security concerns related to TikTok’s data collection practices.