April 24, 2024
TikTok responds to Biden’s “unconstitutional” new law that forces them to sell or face a national ban.
TikTok is calling out President Joe Biden’s “unconstitutional” new bill that forces the social media app to part ways from its Chinese parent company ByteDance.
On Wednesday, April 24, Biden signed a few controversial laws into measure including sending billions in aid to Ukraine, Israel, and Taiwan, as well as urging Chinese TikTok parent company ByteDance to sell the social media platform or face a national ban in the United States, CNBC reports.
“The path to my desk was a difficult path. It should have been easier and it should’ve gotten there sooner,” Biden said. “But in the end we did what America always does, we rose to the moment.”
The bill gives ByteDance nine months, or a year, to sell TikTok if Biden invokes a 90-day extension, or face the national ban. The popular social media app released a statement in response to the law accusing it of being unconstitutional.
“This unconstitutional law is a TikTok ban, and we will challenge it in court. We believe the facts and the law are clearly on our side, and we will ultimately prevail,” the company wrote.
“The fact is, we have invested billions of dollars to keep U.S. data safe and our platform free from outside influence and manipulation. This ban would devastate seven million businesses and silence 170 million Americans. As we continue to challenge this unconstitutional ban, we will continue investing and innovating to ensure TikTok remains a space where Americans of all walks of life can safely come to share their experiences, find joy, and be inspired.”
TikTok CEO Shou Zi Chew followed up with a video message vowing to fight the “disappointing moment.”
“Make no mistake. This is a ban. A ban on TikTok and a ban on you and your voice,” Chew said. “Politicians may say otherwise but don’t get confused. Many who sponsored the bill, admit a Tiktok ban is their ultimate goal.”
Pointing out the irony of the new bill, Chew called out the hypocrisy of US government working to ban an app that represents the “same American values that make the United States a beacon of freedom.”
In addition to the possible TikTok ban, the new bill gives $60 billion in aid for Ukraine, $26 billion for Israel, and $8 billion for security in Taiwan and the Indo-Pacific. The Biden Administration also notes plans to use TikTok to reach voters amid his 2024 re-election campaign.
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