TikTok CEO Shou Zi Chew is pushing back against a new regulation that might require TikTok to be sold or result in the app being prohibited in the U.S.
Key points:
- TikTok’s CEO stated in a video that the regulation amounts to a ban on the platform and an assault on freedom of speech.
- The company intends to contest the new regulation in court.
- TikTok is now requesting users to share anecdotes about how the app has influenced their lives.
@tiktokResponse to TikTok Ban Bill♬ original sound – TikTok
About the law:
- President Joe Biden endorsed a law on April 24 necessitating 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 crucial element in the app’s success.
The details:
- TikTok has consistently 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 challenge the law in the courts, stating: “The facts and the Constitution are on our side and we expect to prevail again.”
What’s next:
- TikTok is anticipated to file a lawsuit against the law, citing First Amendment grounds. The app will continue to operate as the company contests the imposed restrictions until the set Jan. 19 deadline.
