TECH NEWS – Now that the bill has passed the US Congress and been signed by US President Joe Biden, ByteDance, the owner of TikTok, will have to change its approach to the grace period.

Officially known as the “Protecting Americans From Foreign Adversary Controlled Applications Act” and tucked into the much larger HR 815 bill (primarily about military aid to Ukraine, Israel, and Taiwan), the text of the law essentially prohibits the distribution, maintenance, or updating of an application controlled by a “foreign adversary”. TikTok is one such application, as it is owned by a Chinese company, ByteDance. TikTok responded to the law passed by the US legislature with a statement on Twitter:

“This unconstitutional law is a ban on TikTok, 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 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 to invest and innovate to ensure that TikTok remains a place where Americans from all walks of life can safely share their experiences, find joy, and be inspired.”

Our Statement on Enactment of the TikTok Ban:

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 fact is, we have invested billions of dollars to keep U.S.…

— TikTok Policy (@TikTokPolicy) April 24, 2024

Then, in a TikTok video, the company’s CEO, Shou Zi Chew, criticized the law: “This [law] will take TikTok away from you and the 170 million Americans who find community and connection on our platform. This is ironic, because the freedom of expression on TikTok reflects the same American values that make the United States a beacon of freedom. TikTok gives everyday Americans a powerful way to be seen and heard, and that’s why so many people have made TikTok part of their daily lives. Rest assured, we’re not going anywhere. We are confident and we will continue to fight for your rights in the courts.” It’s ironic to hear that from a Chinese higher-up.

Our Statement on Enactment of the TikTok Ban:

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 fact is, we have invested billions of dollars to keep U.S.…

— TikTok Policy (@TikTokPolicy) April 24, 2024

Several US organizations say blocking access to TikTok would violate the First Amendment and set a dangerous international precedent of government control over social media platforms. (Hint: It’s happening in China.) ByteDance has a year to sell TikTok, and although it was previously the goal of Biden’s predecessor, Donald Trump, he now wants the opposite.

However, several Western countries (UK, Australia, Canada) are considering banning the platform…

Source: PCGamer