TikTok CEO Shou Zi Chew is ready to file a lawsuit to a US court in Washington, D.C. to challenge the looming ban on the app after President Joe Biden signed the bill into law.
(Photo : Olivier Douliery/AFP via Getty Images)
In a TikTok video on Wednesday, Chew called the decision a "disappointing moment" but vowed to users that "aren't going anywhere."
@tiktok Response to TikTok Ban Bill ♬ original sound - TikTok
Chew did not disclose much details on TikTok's petition but said that "the facts and the Constitution are on our side, and we expect to prevail again."
The platform has previously won over several state laws in the past pushing to ban the app, although it is the first time that TikTok will face off against the executive body of the US government.
It is also worth noting that the Protecting Americans from Foreign Adversary Controlled Applications Act, unlike previous legislations, aim to ban TikTok's owner, Beijing-based ByteDance, rather than remove the app itself.
The US Congress touted the law as a way to protect US users' data from China's interventions.
TikTok currently hosts more than 170 million US users, including multiple businesses and groups reliant on the platform for their income.
Biden has previously made clear that he will sign the bill once it passed Congress, which happened just a day prior.
Also Read: Senate Passes the TikTok Ban Bill-It's Now Up to US President Joe Biden
Biden-Harris Campaign Will Stay on TikTok
Despite passing the bill, there is no indication that Biden would abandon his social media campaign on the platform anytime soon.
Biden and his running partner, Vice President Kamala Harris, recently launched their dedicated campaign account on TikTok last February for his re-election campaign in this coming November.
The Democrat duo has, along with several lawmakers, have been expanding their election campaigns into social media like TikTok in an attempt to secure the more than 41 million votes they could get from Gen Zs, the prevalent users of the platform.
Many younger voters have already expressed opposition towards Biden online.
Related Article: 2024 Elections and TikTok: 5 US Politicians Campaigning on TikTok
What Happens to TikTok Now?
The app would not immediately get banned in the US, the act gives TikTok and its owner ByteDance 270 days, in addition to a potential 90-day extension, to decide for the fate of the app.
Until then, Chew and ByteDance has the time to either block the legislation or find a suitable buyer to divest its US division to an American owner.
With TikTok posing to challenge the law, CNBC pointed that the legislation could take years before being implemented. That is if it survives the legal battle.
Even then, the DC court ruling could further stall if either party request a review by the US Supreme Court. Experts estimate that the legislation could take effect not until 2026.
