In case you missed it, the TikTok ban bill reached the US Senate last week, was passed this week and President Joe Biden has signed it. You can read about it here.
What does this mean?
After four long years of our beloved Singaporean CEO Chew Shou Zi defending the app against US lawmakers and garnering public support, the House of Representatives passed a revised bill dooming its fate.
An extended deadline always sounds good – but it doesn’t take away the fact that it still exists. ByteDance, a Chinese company that owns TikTok, is expected to sell it within nine months (previously only six), or else it is made illegal for app stores to distribute it to devices in the US.
You can also read more about why US lawmakers want the app gone here.
However, CEO Shou Zi, like a knight in shining armour, was quick to wipe the public’s sadness and sympathy away.
TikTok is Here to Stay
Mr Chew’s TikToks have always been entertaining, engaging and informative. He always starts it off the same.
“Hi everyone, it’s Shou here.”
He’s always cheerful, excited and smiling wide. It’s no surprise that his 3.8 million followers look forward to his videos. Unfortunately, on 25 Apr, his videos took a more serious turn.
He talked about President Biden signing the ban into law and explained that this decision would negatively impact the 170 million American users who “find community and connection” on TikTok.
“Make no mistake – this is a ban on TikTok, and a ban on you and YOUR voice”
@tiktokResponse to TikTok Ban Bill♬ original sound – TikTok
While Mr Chew is mainly addressing TikTok’s American users, we can’t help but sympathise, and Mr Chew and the company are not planning to let that slide, “Rest assured – we aren’t going anywhere”
The Constitution Will Protect TikTok
According to Mr Chew, TikTok is preparing their arsenals. They are set to challenge the ban on the grounds of free speech, better known as The First Amendment of the United States Constitution.
The First Amendment also protects the right to freedom of the press and petition to the government. It ensures that Americans can express themselves without fearing censorship or retaliation – which is something US lawmakers seem to be doing.
“This is actually ironic, because the freedom of expression on TikTok reflects the same American values that make the United States a beacon of freedom.”
This is why TikTok is confident about winning the legal battle.
“The facts and the Constitution are on their side, and we expect to prevail again.”
He said “again” as in May 2023, Montana Governor Greg Gianforte signed a bill banning TikTok from operating within the state, but in November the same year, US District Judge Donald W. Molloy issued a preliminary injunction, halting the implementation of Montana’s statewide ban on TikTok.
You know more about the issue here:
Their confidence in winning the fight against freedom of speech is not simply a fight for TikTok, it is a “fight for your rights”.
A Bleak Future for Social Media Apps
Thankfully, TikTok is not fighting this battle alone. The American Civil Liberties Union sent a letter to the House of Representatives recently, opposing the bill.
The Union said that banning TikTok is “unconstitutional” and is very worrying. They think that it will encourage “excessive government control over social media platforms”.
Yes, that means that other governments from other countries might want to do the same.
The government in Nepal had already announced that they wanted to ban TikTok on 13 Nov last year. Nepal’s Minister for Communications and Information Technology said that TikTok negatively impacts Nepal’s values of social harmony and family structure – sound familiar?
India banned 59 Chinese applications in 2020 over concerns about data privacy and national security. In other words, governments are starting to be aware of the power of social media and its influence on politics.
If TikTok fails to win the legal battle against the US, the app will be banned earliest on 19 Jan 2025.
Here’s a simplified summary of the South Korea martial law that even a 5-year-old would understand:
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