Popular social media platform TikTok intends to fight any ban or forced sale of its US business in court after the House of Representatives passed legislation over the weekend.
TikTok's future in the US is questionable after Washington legislators passed a measure on Saturday. The House overwhelmingly passed the bill, 360-58, per Rappler.
In the coming days, the Senate will vote on the bill. Notably, President Joe Biden previously said that he would sign legislation that would result in a TikTok ban.
Biden administration officials and many Republican and Democratic politicians fear TikTok poses national security dangers because China may force the business to disclose the data of its 170 million US users.
TikTok Ban is Unconstitutional
According to The Guardian, TikTok's head of public policy for the Americas, Michael Beckerman, wrote to staff that the ban measure was illegal and that the company would sue.
Beckerman said the law violated the First Amendment, which protects free expression. TikTok would defend its stance in court to preserve its 170 million American users' First Amendment rights, he said.
This corresponds with TikTok's US legal success. Last year, a Montana district court rejected the state's TikTok ban, stating that it violated users' free expression rights and abused governmental power. Judge Donald Molloy stressed the ban's unconstitutionality.
(Photo: Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images) Shou Zi Chew, CEO of TikTok, departs from the Russell Senate Office Building after meeting with Sen. John Fetterman (D-PA) in Washington, DC on March 14, 2024.
Kyrgyzstan Bans TikTok Over Child Safety Concerns
While the US is moving to ban video-sharing apps, Kyrgyzstan has already implemented a TikTok ban due to security issues and concerns over children's safety.
TechTimes previously reported that Kyrgyzstan users tried to use TikTok but got error messages saying it was unavailable.
According to Azamat Asanov, a Kyrgyzstan digital ministry official, the government's decision to ban TikTok "was motivated by TikTok's failure to comply with a law on preventing harm to children's health."
Kamchybek Tashiev, the State Committee for National Security director, ordered Kyrgyzstan's digital ministry to restrict TikTok to telecommunication carriers. Concerns that ByteDance, TikTok's parent business, had violated child protection laws prompted the action.
Reporters Without Borders (RSF) has criticized the TikTok ban on online information access and asked the government to lift it and implement clear online platform laws.
Kyrgyzstan's decision follows a pattern of tighter media and civil society control, including dissent legislation and media outlet closures.
Nearby China and its economic cooperation have sparked concerns about the erosion of freedom of information in Central Asia, formerly considered comparatively open.
Amid rising concerns over safety, TikTok initiated measures to combat misinformation and harmful content on its app.
TechTimes previously reported that, in response to body image concerns, TikTok has launched measures to reduce the promotion of unhealthy weight management practices on its platform.
This includes campaigns to discourage severe diets, quick weight reduction through questionable methods, and the use of potentially harmful substances like anabolic steroids.
Moreover, the video-sharing app is also banning material that promotes elective cosmetic surgery without mentioning the dangers.
