TikTok CEO Shou Zi Chew on Thursday reassured users in a video statement that the popular short video app is here to stay, in response to US President Joe Biden's signing of legislation aiming to ban it. The legislation, targeting TikTok's parent company ByteDance, gives them 270 days to divest its US assets or face a ban.
"Rest assured - we aren't going anywhere. The facts and the Constitution are on our side and we expect to prevail again," Chew said. He emphasised their commitment to continue operating despite the challenges posed by the new legislation.
The bill, passed by the US Senate and House of Representatives, reflects concerns among lawmakers regarding data security and surveillance risks associated with Chinese ownership of popular social media platforms like TikTok.
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Trump Accuses Biden
Former President Donald Trump, who previously sought to ban TikTok, accused Biden of advocating for the ban and warned voters of the potential consequences.
However, TikTok remains adamant in its stance against the ban, vowing to challenge the restrictions on First Amendment grounds. Legal experts speculate on the feasibility of a potential sale and the approval process involving both US and Chinese authorities.
While the legislation presents a formidable challenge for TikTok, it also grants the Biden administration more leverage to enforce the ban if ByteDance fails to comply with divestiture requirements.
Concerns over the fate of TikTok's US employees, numbering around 8,000, have been raised by lawmakers like Senator Laphonza Butler, urging the White House to consider the broader economic impact.
The bill also empowers the White House to take action against other foreign-owned apps deemed as security threats, raising concerns among some senators about potential abuses of authority.
Despite the legal battle, Biden's re-election campaign intends to continue using TikTok, while Trump's campaign remains absent from the platform.