The Justice Department is pushing back against TikTok’s lawsuit over a potential ban in the United States, arguing that national security concerns are the main issue, not restricting free speech. The lawsuit was filed by TikTok and its Chinese parent company, ByteDance, after President Joe Biden signed a bill into law that would require the sale of TikTok’s US assets by January 2025. The Justice Department claims that TikTok’s ownership structure allows China to access sensitive personal information and manipulate the content Americans see on the app. It argues that allowing TikTok to operate under its current ownership structure could enable the Chinese government to gather intelligence on Americans and undermine US national security. TikTok has countered by saying that the law infringes on free expression and that Congress has never targeted a specific speech forum in such a way before. The app has also highlighted its large user base in the US and worldwide, emphasizing the impact a ban would have on millions of users. Both TikTok and the government have requested that the case be fast-tracked for Supreme Court review before the ban takes effect in 2025. The court is set to hear oral arguments in September.
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