From Investing.com: 2024-08-02 20:05:41

A group of 21 states and over 50 U.S. lawmakers are supporting the Justice Department in defending a law that requires TikTok’s China-based owner, ByteDance, to sell U.S. assets by Jan. 19 to avoid a ban, citing national security and privacy concerns. The fate of TikTok will be decided in a court hearing on Sept. 16.

Lawmakers, including House Majority Leader Steve Scalise and former Speaker Nancy Pelosi, argue that the law aims to protect national security by providing a solution to the potential threats posed by TikTok’s ownership. TikTok creators and ByteDance have filed lawsuits to overturn the law, claiming it would violate the First Amendment for its 170 million American users.

The Justice Department maintains that the national-security threat from TikTok, allowing potential access by China to American data, is real despite legal challenges. Led by Montana and Virginia attorneys general, the group insists that operating without severing ties to the Chinese government puts Americans at risk, prompting the need for action to protect citizens’ data and privacy.



Read more at Investing.com: More than 50 US lawmakers, 21 states back DOJ in TikTok lawsuit By Reuters