After the US House of Representatives passed the law against TikTok, the video platform now wants to use legal means. Users were also called upon to oppose a ban.
The US government plans to force TikTok to change ownership by law. Shou Chew, the head of the popular video platform, now wants to defend himself against this. The company will do everything possible and use legal means to defend the platform, he said in a video published today.
Shou Chew also called on users to take action against the possible ban of the app in the USA. “Protect your constitutional rights,” he said. “Make sure your voices are heard.” Users should continue to share their stories on the platforms – with relatives, friends and “your senators”.
TikTok could be kicked out of American app stores
The US law, which was passed yesterday by the House of Representatives with a large majority, is intended to bring the short video app under the control of American investors. TikTok insists that the goal is to ban the app in the US.
US politicians, on the other hand, emphasize that they simply want to ensure that Chinese authorities cannot exert any influence on TikTok that harms American interests. The company and its parent company ByteDance deny all allegations. The law could result in TikTok being banned from American app stores if there is no change in ownership.
Shou Chew explained that the law would give “a handful of other social media companies” more influence. According to the TikTok boss, the bill also puts 300,000 jobs in the US at risk. His company often points to small businesses using the service for advertising. TikTok claims to have 170 million users in the USA.
Restriction of freedom of speech?
US President Joe Biden has already announced that he will sign the law. However, it must first pass the Senate as the second chamber of parliament. So far it is unclear whether there is enough support there. In the House of Representatives, there was a cross-party majority of Republicans and Democrats with 352 votes to 65.
In the Senate, where Biden’s Democrats hold a narrow majority, there are supporters and critics of the plan on both sides. Among the concerns is that a ban on TikTok could be challenged by citing the freedom of speech enshrined in the US Constitution.
That’s why Donald Trump, as US President, had already failed in court in his attempt to force a change of ownership at TikTok. And for this reason, a prohibition law in the US state of Montana is currently on hold. Trump is now against a ban.
Beijing criticizes “bullying behavior”
Biden’s national security adviser Jake Sullivan said this week that this is not about a TikTok ban, but about a change in ownership. He then asked the rhetorical question: “Do we want TikTok as a platform to be owned by an American company – or owned by China?”
TikTok always rejects all concerns and emphasizes that it does not see itself as a subsidiary of a Chinese company. After all, ByteDance is 60 percent owned by Western investors and the company’s headquarters are in the Cayman Islands in the Caribbean. Critics counter that the Chinese founders, with a share of 20 percent, maintained control thanks to higher voting rights and that ByteDance has a large headquarters in Beijing.
The Chinese government, meanwhile, criticized the proposed law as “bullying behavior” and warned vaguely that this approach would “inevitably cause trouble for the United States.” The US federal authorities have already banned TikTok from their work cell phones because of data protection concerns.