Breaking: TikTok files lawsuit against Trump Administration

Earlier this summer, President Donald Trump released an executive order banning social media company TikTok from the United States, so long as it remains owned by Chinese internet technology company, ByteDance. The order effectively gave ByteDance 45 days to sell TikTok off to an American company, which means the app has approximately 25 days left in order to find a prospective buyer. 

Today, TikTok filed a lawsuit in response to President Donald Trump’s executive order that would ban the app for creators residing in the United States.

In a press release posted 6 hours ago, TikTok states that the Trump Administration “ignored our extensive efforts to address its concerns, which we conducted fully and in good faith. 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.”

At the same time, many Canadians wonder if the potential ban could affect their accounts, if the government of Canada decides to follow suit. But Canadian Academic and internet law expert Michael Geist explains that the threat to ban TikTok is more about politics than an issue of privacy, and that TikTok is not unique from American-owned social platforms in the way it collects its data.

Furthermore, CNN noted that the app operates as a US subsidiary of ByteDance, and isn’t even available in China. The Chinese app with the same features as TikTok is called Douyin and the content & accounts do not cross over on either platform.