AGS NEWS – The Justice Department responded late Friday to TikTok’s lawsuit challenging a law that would force the app’s sale or face a US ban.

TikTok’s suit argues that the law violates First Amendment rights, while the US countered that the law addresses national security concerns, not speech.

The response emphasizes concerns that TikTok’s Chinese parent company, ByteDance, could comply with Chinese government demands for US user data or content manipulation.

The Justice Department stated the law aims to protect user data from the Chinese government and ensure content is not influenced by it.

US intelligence agencies warned that China might weaponize mobile apps, using them to gather data on Americans.

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The bill signed by President Joe Biden sets a mid-January 2025 deadline for TikTok to find a non-Chinese buyer or face a US ban, extendable by 90 days.

TikTok claims the divestiture is impossible within the given timeline, and the lawsuit argues that the law unfairly targets a single platform, potentially silencing its users.

ByteDance has no plans to sell TikTok, making the lawsuit likely to reach the US Supreme Court.

This effort follows a previous attempt by the Trump administration to ban TikTok, which was blocked by a federal judge.

The new law aims to avoid similar legal issues, with some experts suggesting national security concerns might override free speech protections. There are doubts about finding a buyer for TikTok due to antitrust concerns and the app’s high value.