TikTok is suing the US government over the new law that would force the short-form video app to be divested from its China-based parent company ByteDance or face a ban in the US.
In a court filing submitted Tuesday, TikTok says Congress has “taken the unprecedented step of expressly singling out and banning TikTok” and calls the move “unconstitutional.” TikTok argues that a sale from ByteDance isn’t possible and that the law would “force a shutdown” by January 19, 2025.
“For the first time in history, Congress has enacted a law that subjects a single, named speech platform to a permanent, nationwide ban, and bars every American from participating in a unique online community with more than 1 billion people worldwide,” the lawsuit reads.
The company argues that a ban in the US wouldn’t be feasible, as it would force TikTok to move “millions of lines” of software code from ByteDance to a new owner. It also says it faces limitations from the Chinese government, which has said that it will not allow the sale of TikTok with its algorithm.
TikTok didn’t immediately respond to The Verge’s request for comment. Last month, President Joe Biden signed a law giving ByteDance nine months to divest TikTok or else stop functioning in the US.
