TikTok says law is on its side as it readies to fight US ban

TikTok’s CEO Shou Zi Chew declared on Wednesday a firm intention to challenge the legislation that could potentially lead to the banning of the widely-used app over accusations of Chinese government control.

The bill, which went into effect after President Joe Biden signed it as a law, stipulates that TikTok, owned by the Chinese company ByteDance, must sever ties within nine months or face expulsion from the American market.

TikTok’s dicey past with ByteDance

Officials from the US and other Western nations have expressed concerns that the app could be exploited by Beijing for data collection and espionage, with its 170 million US users, many of whom are young, being particularly vulnerable.

Critics have further alleged that TikTok serves as a vessel for spreading Chinese propaganda and is a tool for Beijing to spy US citizens, and interfere in elections. China, ByteDance and TikTok for their part, have always denied these claims, vehemently.

The bill to ban TikTok was part of a $95 billion foreign aid package, which also included military assistance to nations like Ukraine, Israel, and Taiwan.

The bill, which could lead to an unprecedented move of barring a company from the US market, garnered overwhelming support in both the House of Representatives and the Senate.

FBI Director Christopher Wray underscored the alleged ties between ByteDance and the Chinese government, warning of ongoing attempts to steal American technology.

TikTok responds to potential ban

Following President Joe Biden’s signing of the bill into law, TikTok’s boss Shou Zi Chew released a video on the platform, asserting that the legislation essentially amounted to a ban on TikTok and its users’ voices.

“Make no mistake, this is a ban. A ban on TikTok and a ban on you and your voice,” TikTok boss Shou Zi Chew said. “Politicians may say otherwise, but don’t get confused. Many who sponsored the bill admit a TikTok ban is the ultimate goal,” he added.

Chew criticized the move as contradictory, highlighting how TikTok’s platform embodies the same values of freedom of expression cherished in the United States.

“Rest assured, we aren’t going anywhere,” Chew told the platform’s users. “We will keep fighting for your rights in the courts. The facts and the Constitution are on our side.”

Options available to TikTok and ByteDance

Billionaire Elon Musk, owner of X (formerly Twitter), recently voiced opposition to banning TikTok, citing concerns about freedom of speech and expression.

Under the legislation, ByteDance would need to divest itself of TikTok or face exclusion from major app stores operated by Apple and Google in the US.

Analysts speculate potential buyers for TikTok could include tech giants like Microsoft or Oracle.

TikTok has long been under scrutiny by American authorities, who fear its operations could compromise national security.

“Passage of the new TikTok law only addresses part of the challenge posed by social media to Americans’ security," says Amit Yoran, Chairman and CEO, of cybersecurity firm, Tenable. The Chinese government’s access to TikTok user data is no doubt a threat to national security, but what’s also concerning are the active cyber threats posed by most social media platforms to their users., he added.

“It’s unacceptable that social media applications are still unregulated and continue to broadly collect vast amounts of sensitive user data, such as active locations, contact information, birthdates, personal interests, and user photos. With AI, this kind of personal information can be co-opted much faster to cause interference and influence. Social media companies need to take immediate action to better protect user data or expect to face regulatory oversight,” added Yoran.

The bill also grants the US president authority to designate other apps controlled by hostile nations as threats to national security.