TikTok is suing the Trump administration over executive order to ban app

The ByteDance-owned app TikTok has filed a lawsuit against the U.S. government over President Trump’s plan to ban the music video app’s American operations. 

In a blog post on Monday, TikTok said it filed the complaint because the administration “ignored our extensive efforts to address its concerns.” The platform also argued that the ban prevents it from its Fifth Amendment right to due process. 

“We do not take suing the government lightly, however we feel we have no choice but to take action to protect our rights, and the rights of our community and employees,” TikTok said.

The lawsuit comes weeks after President Trump signed an executive order barring the app from the U.S. if it’s not sold to another company. TikTok originally had until mid-September to sell, but Trump extended the deadline to November 12. 

Microsoft has had continued discussions with ByteDance to buy TikTok’s operations in the U.S. 

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“With the Executive Order threatening to bring a ban on our US operations – eliminating the creation of 10,000 American jobs and irreparably harming the millions of Americans who turn to this app for entertainment, connection and legitimate livelihoods that are vital especially during the pandemic – we simply have no choice,” TikTok said. 

The lawsuit claims that Trump’s executive order offers no evidence to back up allegations that TikTok presents a national security threat due to its ties to China. 

The blog post says that TikTok provided “voluminous documentation” concerning its security practices to the government in order to prove it doesn’t share user data with the Chinese government.

The app goes on to say that the executive order is “not rooted in bona fide national security concerns” but rather part of the U.S. economic battle with China. 

Follow Dalvin Brown on Twitter: @Dalvin_Brown. 

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