The US is moving closer to banning TikTok, as a federal appeals court upheld a law requiring the app’s owner, ByteDance, to sell its assets to a non-Chinese company by January 19th or face a ban. This decision is the latest development in a long-standing conflict between the US government and TikTok, owned by China-based ByteDance.
ByteDance must comply with the law or risk being banned from the country entirely. TikTok spokesperson Michael Hughes stated that the sale is technically, commercially, and legally impossible, and the company plans to appeal the decision to the nation’s highest court.
The US government argues that TikTok poses a national security threat by potentially allowing China to access personal data of American users. While TikTok denies being influenced by China, lawmakers express concerns about the app being used for propaganda and manipulation.
Opposition to the ban comes from various civil and digital rights groups, including the ACLU, EFF, and CDT, who see it as a violation of free speech and privacy rights. Despite these challenges, the court upheld the law targeting TikTok, citing national security concerns and bipartisan efforts to counter threats from the People’s Republic of China.
Source: www.theguardian.com
