TikTok's Legal Battle: National Security Concerns vs. First Amendment Rights

TikTok is challenging a law that could ban it in the US, arguing it violates the First Amendment. The US government claims the law is needed to address national security risks posed by the app’s ties to China. A federal appeals court heard arguments for and against the law's constitutionality.

TikTok squared off with the US government in a federal court on Monday, contesting a proposed law that could ban the platform in a few months as unconstitutional. The US Justice Department argued the law is needed to mitigate national security risks posed by TikTok's Chinese connections.

In over two hours of testimony before a federal appeals court in Washington, attorneys debated whether the law mandating TikTok cut ties with its Chinese parent company ByteDance by January was justifiable. Veteran attorney Andrew Pincus, representing TikTok, claimed the law unfairly targets the company and impinges on First Amendment rights.

Signed by President Joe Biden in April, the measure culminates years of concerns over TikTok's data collection and the potential influence of Chinese authorities through its algorithm. Justice Department attorney Daniel Tenny acknowledged data collection's commercial value but stressed the national security threat it poses.

(With inputs from agencies.)