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Content creators on the popular social media platform TikTok have taken legal action against the U.S. government.
This move from the creators is in response to a new federal law that has forced Chinese owners ByteDance to sell their assets to a U.S.-based entity or face a ban on American shores.
TikTok creators move for legal action
The potential ban on TikTok could have significant financial implications for social media content creators. In some cases, these creators can generate annual wealth in the millions and have vibrant community groups.
The news was first reported by Reuters, which received a copy of the lawsuit by Davis Wright Tremaine LLP, the law firm representing the upset content creators.
They include a diverse set of individuals: a North Dakota college coach making sports content, a Mississippi hip-hop artist, a Marine veteran, a recent college graduate who advocates for the survivors of sexual assault, and a person giving parenting advice while baking.
“Although they come from different places, professions, walks of life, and political persuasions, they are united in their view that TikTok provides them a unique and irreplaceable means to express themselves and form community,” said the filing in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit.
As we reported, TikTok’s ban at the highest levels of the American legal system stems from concerns about the app’s safety, privacy, and potential spying capabilities.
ByteDance has already motioned to contest the ban legally in the same U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit. The Chinese company says that the federal law infringes on the rights of the American people and freedom of speech.
In contrast to this, the Justice Department responded that the new law banning the app “addresses critical national security concerns in a manner that is consistent with the First Amendment and other constitutional limitations. We look forward to defending the legislation in court.”
According to a recent Ipsos poll, the majority of Americans believe that TikTok is a tool used for spying. 58% of Americans who responded to the questionnaire believe that the app has nefarious capabilities, and half of those polled believe TikTok should be banned.
Image: Ideogram.
