CALL THE POTENTIAL BAN
UNCONSTITUTIONAL.
THEY SAID IT WAS NEARLY
IMPOSSIBLE TO SEPARATE TIKTOK
FROM ITS CHINESE COMPANY.
THIS MORNING TIKTOK TAKING ON
THE U.S. GOVERNMENT.
>> CAN I JUST SAY ON BEHALF OF
ALL OF US, THANK YOU.
>> THE SOCIAL MEDIA GIANT SUING
TO BLOCK A NATIONWIDE BAN IT
CALLED OBVIOUSLY
UNCONSTITUTIONAL.
>> THE BILL HAS PASSED.
>> LEGISLATION SIGNED INTO LAW
LAST MONTH WOULD FORCE CHINESE
PARENT COMPANY BYTEDANCE TO
CELTIC TOK WITHIN A YEAR OR SEE
IT BANNED WITHIN THE U.S.
THE COMPANY’S CEO VOWED TO FIGHT
BACK.
>> WE AREN’T GOING ANYWHERE.
WE ARE CONFIDENT AND WE WILL
KEEP FIGHTING FOR YOUR RIGHTS IN
THE COURTS.
>> TIKTOK AND BYTEDANCE SAY THE
LAW REGARDED LESS EXTREME
ALTERNATIVES AND IT IS SIMPLY
NOT POSSIBLE.
GOING ON TO SAY, THE CHINESE
GOVERNMENT HAS MADE IT CLEAR IT
WOULD NOT PERMIT A DIVESTMENT.
LAWYERS ALSO ARGUING THAT TIKTOK
IS PROTECTED UNDER THE FIRST
AMENDMENT’S GUARANTEE OF FREEDOM
OF EXPRESSION.
DO YOU THINK THERE IS A CHANCE
HERE THAT TIKTOK SUCCESSFULLY
CHALLENGES THIS?
>> I THINK TIKTOK HAS A CHANCE,
AND IF THEY CAN ARTICULATE THAT
THEIR FIRST AMENDMENT RIGHTS ARE
BEING DENIED, THEN THE
GOVERNMENT MAY HAVE TO SHOW THAT
THE LEGISLATION WAS NECESSARY TO
ACHIEVE A COMPELLING INTEREST.
THAT’S A REALLY DIFFICULT TEST
TO SATISFY.
>> BUT LAWMAKERS HAVE ARGUED THE
APP IS A THREAT TO NATIONAL
SECURITY, CAUSING CONCERN OVER
THE SAFETY OF AMERICAN DATA.
DEMOCRATIC CONGRESSMAN
CO-SPONSORED THE BILL IN THE
HOUSE.
>> THERE IS NO FIRST AMENDMENT
RIGHT TO ESPIONAGE.
THERE IS NO FIRST AMENDMENT
RIGHT TO HARM OUR NATIONAL
SECURITY.
THE UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT’S
EFFORTS TO WORK WITH THEM OVER A
PERIOD OF YEARS TO MITIGATE
THOSE THREATS DID NOT WORK.
>> WITH A LONG LEGAL BATTLE
STILL AHEAD, USERS MAKING THEIR
VOICES HEARD.
>> LEAVE TIKTOK ALONE.
THAT’S JUST MY TWO CENTS.
>> THIS WHOLE PROCESS COULD TAKE
MONTHS.
LET’S SAY IT MOVES FORWARD,