News Analysis
Critics of the law that gives TikTok a divest-or-leave ultimatum call it a “ban.” TikTok itself argues the U.S. government has not provided proof it is a national security risk warranting such heavy-handed measures. Lawmakers and the U.S. intelligence community, meanwhile, argue the app poses a grave threat to national security, if it remains in the hands of the Chinese communist regime.
On April 24, President Joe Biden signed into law the Protecting Americans from Foreign Adversary Controlled Applications Act (PAFACA), a law that requires apps controlled by foreign adversaries to sever that connection to operate in the United States. This created a countdown for China-based parent company ByteDance to sell off TikTok by Jan. 19, 2025. ByteDance and TikTok sued, arguing the law is unconstitutional on a First Amendment basis….