ByteDance Archives

Supreme Court will hear arguments over the law that could ban TikTok in the US if it’s not sold

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Supreme Court will hear arguments next month over the constitutionality of the federal law that could ban TikTok in the U.S. if its Chinese parent company doesn’t sell it. The justices said Wednesday they will hear arguments Jan. 10 about whether the law impermissibly restricts speech in violation of the First Amendment. The law, enacted in April, set a Jan. 19 deadline for TikTok to be sold or else face a ban in the United States. The popular social media platform has more than 170 million users in the U.S. It’s unclear how quickly the high court might issue a decision.… Continue Reading

Trump has promised to ‘save TikTok’. What happens next is less clear

After a tumultuous year filled with anxiety and a legal fight about its future in the U.S., TikTok may have just been thrown a lifeline by the man who was once its biggest foe. President-elect Donald Trump has repeatedly pledged during his most recent campaign to oppose a ban on the short-form video app. For months, TikTok, and its China-based parent company ByteDance, have been embroiled in a legal battle with the U.S. over a federal law that forces them to cut ties or face a ban. If the courts uphold the law, it would fall on Trump’s Justice Department to enforce the statute. Trump could try different things to prevent the app from disappearing, including finding an buyer for it.… Continue Reading

NC joins a dozen states suing TikTok, claiming its platform is addictive and harms the mental health of children

NEW YORK (AP) — More than a dozen states and the District of Columbia have filed lawsuits against TikTok on Tuesday, alleging the popular short-form video app is harming youth mental health by designing its platform to be addictive to kids. At the heart of each lawsuit is the TikTok algorithm, which powers what users see on the platform by populating the app’s main “For You” feed with content tailored to people’s interests. The lawsuits also emphasize design features that they say make children addicted to the platform.… Continue Reading

TikTok and the U.S. face off in court over law that could lead to a ban on the popular platform

WASHINGTON (AP) – TikTok faced off with the U.S. government in federal court on Monday, arguing a law that could ban the platform in a few short months was unconstitutional. But the Justice Department said during the hearing the measure is critical to eliminate a national security risk posed by the popular social media company. Attorneys for the two sides – and content creators – appeared before a panel of three judges at a federal appeals court in Washington. TikTok and its China-based parent company, ByteDance, are challenging the law that is forcing them to break ties by mid-January or lose one of their biggest markets in the world.… Continue Reading